Arkansas' Plan to Change the Culture of Health


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

4081.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 6

Abstract #113235

F. Lee Clark, MHSA, Obesity Prevention Program, Arkansas Department of Health, 4815 West Markham, Slot 41, Little Rock, AR 72205 and Andrea D. Ridgway, MS, RD, LD, CDE, Hometown Health Improvement, Arkansas Department of Health, 4815 West Markham, Slot 22, Little Rock, AR 72205, 501-661-2622, aridgway@healthyarkansas.com.

In 2004 Governor Huckabee announced Healthy Arkansas, a plan for reducing risk factors related to obesity and tobacco use. The goals were outlined in Healthy Arkansas: A Blueprint for Changing the Culture of Health. To accomplish goals, communities were empowered to act in areas of nutrition, physical activity and tobacco prevention and cessation.

Through county leaders and either coalitions or leadership planning groups, communities developed a year-long plan encompassing strategies to reach children in schools, adults through worksite wellness and aging Arkansans. All activities were in support of the Blueprint's action steps.

Communities provided baseline data from sources such as county adult and youth risk surveys, BMI data from area schools and local business indicators. A work plan was established to map the process for plan development. The communities identified existing programs that would help achieve Healthy Arkansas goals for the three target populations. Additional strategies were selected from best practices identified by an expert committee within the Department of Health. An inventory of key stakeholders was developed and involvement matrices were prepared to help identify existing resources, as well as recognize capacity for new program development.

Report formats allow for statewide evaluation of Healthy Arkansas efforts. Monthly reports from communities will measure implementation of best practices, provision of technical assistance to local partners and funding committed to Healthy Arkansas activities from outside resources and grants.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

1) Describe the components of the county level plans to support Healthy Arkansas
2) Describe the strategies for county plan development
3) Describe the challenges in developing plans in all 75 counties
4) Identify the methods of incorporating research based best practices to address poor nutrition, physical inactivity and tobacco use

Keywords: Community Health Planning, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Promoting Child Health: From the Womb Through Childhood

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA