Cowlitz on the move Healthy Lifestyle Coalition, has just completed their one year planning process. Click the Link below for final report.

Cowlitz On The Move Action Plan

Description of the Grant

Goals of the Grant

Steps to Mobilizing the Community

Implementation Process

Description of the Grant

The Cowlitz County Health Department was awarded a $50,000 Community Prevention Planning Grant from the Washington State Department of Health.  The focus of this funding is to enhance the capacity at the local level to conduct primary prevention through community collaboration.

The target of physical activity and nutrition was recommended by the Department of Health Preventive Health Advisory Committee after reviewing the leading causes of death, the underlying risk factors, funds available to address them, and progress that has been made in the last decade.  Preliminary data indicated the need for the community to address obesity under the healthy lifestyle focus area:

• 68% of Cowlitz County adults are overweight or obese, and increase from 60% of those surveyed in 2001 (BRFSS 2001, 2003)

• 31% of adults report moderate exercise at 30 minutes per day five days a week (BRFSS, 2001)

As a result of the assessments and planning process, lack of health education related nutrition and physical activity was identified as an issue in Cowlitz County.  The Community Prevention Funding would allow the community to address obesity and prevention of disease from an environmental and policy approach.

Cowlitz County Health Department and Pathways 2020, a community mobilization agency, will be working together to coordinate community efforts to develop a Healthy Lifestyle Coalition to work on the planning project.

Community Partners

• Children's Community Resources

• City Council Members

• Council of Governments

• County & City Public Works

• County Commissioners/Board of Health

• County Parks & Recreation

• Cowlitz Medical Home Leadership Team

• Cowlitz Substance Abuse Coalition

• DSHS

• Health Professionals

• Healthy Kids Coalition

• Local Breastfeeding Coalition

• Local Businesses

• Lower Columbia Community Action Council

• Pathways 2020

  • Board Members

• School Districts

• Trails Planning Group

• WIC

Related Health Department Web Links

• Health Education

• Local Recreational Opportunities

• Physical Activity

• Nutrition

Related Outside  Websites

• Smart Growth America

• Smart Growth - Environmental Protection Agency

• WA State Nutrition & Physical Activity Plan

• Principles of Community Engagement

• Prevention Institute

  • Eight Steps to Effective Coalition Building (PDF)

• Local Government Commission

• Active Living Leadership

• Longview Comprehensive Plan

• Woodland Comprehensive Plan

• Castle Rock Comprehensive Plan

• Cowlitz County Comprehensive Plan

• 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Finding Your Way to a Healthier You: Based on the Dietary Guidelines

Goals of the Grant

• To mobilize the community in the formation of a Healthy Lifestyle Coalition to develop a Cowlitz County Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan.

The planning project process will identify resources and strategies to address healthy behaviors from a policy and environmental approach to make it easier for Cowlitz County residents to choose healthy foods and be physically active.  Creating healthy environments in the community will:

• Slow the increase in the proportion of adults who are obese

• Reduce rates of chronic disease

• Improve the quality of life

The over arching goals of the Cowlitz County Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan will be to increase the proportion of residents:

• Whose diets reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Who get at least 60 minutes of moderate activity on five or more days a week

• Program Deliverables:

  • Timeline

  • Revised Timeline

Steps to Mobilizing the Community

Logic Model Framework for Healthy Communities

1. Preliminary Research:

2. Held a Community Forum:

3. Formed the Healthy Lifestyles Coalition:

4. Assessing Community Needs:

5. Healthy Lifestyle Coalition Workshop:

6. Implementation Process

   1.  Preliminary Research:

Conducted focus groups to find out what the public had to say about healthy lifestyles, nutrition and physical activity in Cowlitz County.

Focus Group Outline

• Child & Adolescent Clinic Pediatricians

• Cowlitz County Community Members

• Head Start Class Parents

• Volunteers from RSVP

• Women's Health Pavilion Patients

• 4H Parents

2. Held a Community Forum:

On March 31st, 2005, more than 100 people attended the kick-off dinner for the Healthy Lifestyles Coaltion, Cowlitz County Together On the Move.  Over 500 great ideas were collected on how to improve nutrition and physical activity in our community.  Also, we collected over $1000 and food donations for the Empty Bowl Project to help reduce hunger in Cowlitz County.

• Community Forum Agenda

• Brainstorming Ideas- Nutrition

• Brainstorming Ideas- Physical Activity
  

3. Formed the Healthy Lifestyles Coalition:

   • Developed Mission Statement:  

     Our mission is to promote healthy lifestyles for all Cowlitz County residents through access to recreation, nutritious foods and opportunities to engage in the life of the community.

     We will accomplish this through education, advocacy and community planning, that encourages collaboration, resource sharing and broad citizen participation within our communities to support healthy lifestyles.

• Meeting Minutes:

  • January 13, 2009

  • February 11, 2009

  • March 10, 2009

  • April 14, 2009

  • May,12 2009

  • June 09, 2009

  • July, 14 2009

  • August 11, 2009

4. Assessing Community Needs:

   • Bikeability Survey Results

   • Healthy Lifestyles Workplace Wellness Results

   • Survey of Cowlitz County Youth

   • Summary of Community Inventory Findings

   • Walkability Assessment Report

   • Food Security Assessments:

     • Community Nutrition Brochure (Draft)

     • Nutrition Resources Report
       

5. Healthy Lifestyle Coalition Workshop:
   The community needs assessments have been completed.  The strategic planning workshop is the next step.  For more information on the workshop, click here.

Implementation Process

   1.  Developed    www.cowlitzonthemove.org

   2.  Developed marketing campaign around Healthy Lifestyles

              Eat Smart, Play Hard, Breathe Free

   3.   Gym Planning Process:

• Gym Project Summary

• Bringing People Together

  • Pathway2020 Letter of Support

  • Link Memo 1-5-2006

  • On the Move Letter

  • Community Development Block Grant

• Gym Planning Committee 

  • Gym Organization Chart

  • Steering Committee

    • December 16, 2005 meeting

    • January 11, 2006 agenda

    • January 11, 2006 meeting

    • April 13, 2006 agenda

    • April 13, 2006 meeting

    • May 16, 2006 agenda

    • May 16, 2006 meeting

  • Needs Assessment Committee

    • February 23, 2006 agenda

    • February 23, 2006 meeting

    • March 23, 2006 meeting

    • May 2, 2006 agenda

    • May 2, 2006 meeting

    • Focus Group and Surveys

      • Community Needs Report

      • Questions

      • Parents Place

      • Senior Center

      • Kessler Northlake

      • Middle School Boys

      • Middle School Girls

  • Funding Committee

    • Funding Feasibility Plan

    • CTED Gym Grant

    • February 8, 2006 meeting

  • Design Committee

  • Operations Committee

At any time you would like to become more involved with the coalition, we would be delighted to include you! You can reach Paul at 423-8704 and Shannon at 501-1228.

Thank you again for being part of the effort to have a healthier Cowlitz County.  Remember: eating smart, staying active, and remaining positive are the three ingredients to a healthy future.