Title: Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging Coalition
1Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging
Coalition
-
- Cathy Liles, M.P.H.
- School of Rural Public Health,
- Texas AM Health Science Center
- Tuesday, August 5, 2008
2Why Build a Coalition?
- Create synergy
- Share resources
- Work toward common goals
- Create alliances among those who might not
normally work together - Increase communication among groups
- To plan and launch community-wide initiatives
- To create long-term, permanent social change.
3Steps in Building a Community Coalition
- Identify need and determine focus What do we
want to do? - Identify benefits of collaboration Why do we
want to do it? - Identify Key Partners and stakeholders Who
should be at the table? - Identify a Champion/s, community partners Who
has passion for this idea? - Bring everyone together When and where should we
meet?
4Steps in Building a Community Coalition
- Define purpose and direction
- Commit to unifying mission
- Define roles
- Share leadership
- Ensure communication
- Identify vision and goals
- Be flexible
5Green Gray Success
- Implementing smart growth principles improves
community health - Implementing active aging strategies improves
community health - What synergies could develop if we married these
two concepts? - What benefits could accrue by partnering to
integrate these concepts?
6Baby Steps
- A small group of people interested in this idea
held an organizational meeting to see if might be
beneficial to formally bring a group together for
a coalition - EPA announces Building Healthy Communities
recognition award program - We said, Think Globally, Act Locally!
- The small group began planning
7Identify Key Partners
- Planning Sector
- National Governmental
- Regional Planning
- County Governmental
- City Governmental
- City Council
- Planning
- Economic Development
- Developers
- Academic
- Architecture Urban Planning
- Aging Sector
- Local AAA
- Non-profit Agencies
- Elder Aid
- BVCAA
- AARP
- Academic
- SRPH
- Kinesiology
- Service Providers
- Retirement Communities
- Assisted Living
8Identify Key Partners
- Health Sector
- Brazos Valley Health Partnership
- County Public Health
- Regional Public Health
- Hospitals
- Geriatricians
- Faith Community
- Academic
- Blinn Nursing School
- TAMHSC Medical School
- Activity Sector
- Regional Governmental
- Senior Games
- City Governmental
- Parks and Recreation
- Senior Centers
- Commercial
- Gyms
- Academic
- Parks and Recreation
- Kinesioligy
- SRPH
9Feed Them and They Will Come
10Key Issues
- Regional or local?
- Limit to aging population?
- Goals?
- Rural participation?
- Senior voices in planning?
- Showcase successes?
- Add transportation sector?
11Involve Partners
- Leadership
- Meeting space
- Work groups
- Refreshments
- Presentations
- Projects
- Planning
- Communication
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13Identify an Opportunity for Quick Success
- Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging
National Recognition Program - What is the National Recognition Program for
Communities that Combine Smart Growth and Active
Aging? The principal goal of the Building Healthy
Communities for Active Aging Award program is to
raise awareness across the nation about healthy
synergies that can be achieved by communities
combining Smart Growth and Active Aging concepts.
- Awards will be presented to communities that
demonstrate the best and most inclusive overall
approach to implementing smart growth and active
aging at the neighborhood, tribe, municipality,
county, and/or regional levels. - Two types of awards will be madethe Commitment
Award and the Achievement Award. The Commitment
Award recognizes communities that have developed
and begun to initiate a specific plan to
implement smart growth and active aging
principles. The Achievement Award will be given
for overall excellence in building healthy
communities for active aging. - Who can apply for an award? Applicants must be
public-sector entities in the United States and
coordinate with their local Area Agency on Aging.
Public-sector entities include all levels of
elected governments, from city councils to state
legislatures and their subdivisions such as
planning departments and other executive branch
divisions. Applications are due September 12,
2008.
14Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging
15Commitment Award for Excellence in Building
Healthy Communities for Active Aging in the
Brazos Valley, TX
- The Brazos Valley Building Healthy Communities
Coalition (BVHCC) was formed in 2007. Our first
accomplishment was the successful receipt of the
Excellence in Building Healthy Communities for
Active Aging Award from the United States
Environmental Protection Agency. As the central
planning unit for regional activities and a
partner in the coalition, the Brazos Valley
Council of Governments was designated as the
applicant organization. The application featured
five programs/projects in our area which
demonstrate our involvement in and commitment to
Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging.
16Brazos Valley Health Status Assessment
- The Brazos Valley Health Partnership, consisting
of non-profit organizations, academic
institutions, regional health care
representatives, local governmental
representatives, and key community stakeholders,
carried out the regional assessment. This group
is dedicated to improving health status and
access to care in the Brazos Valley through
collaboration of services and creation of local
partnerships.
17Brazos Valley Area Agency on Aging
Transportation Program
- BVAAA Transportation Program has consists of a
region wide door-to-door service provided by
qualified senior volunteers in their personal
vehicles, a taxi program utilizing rented
vehicles and a combination of volunteer and paid
drivers and five volunteer driven vans in the
rural counties
18Active Options Physical Activity Census
- The Physical Activity Census identified physical
activity programs available for seniors in the
six rural counties. Brazos Valley Health
Partnership members assisted in identifying key
community stakeholders and programs for the
survey. The program listing is accessible on the
web. http//activeoptions.org/
19Wolf Pen Creek Park
- Developed by the City of College Station, the
park design balances the interrelationships
between drainage, erosion control, and recreation
along a local creek. The park offers a variety of
outdoor recreation experiences for all ages
including walking trails, picnicking, and an
amphitheater for entertainment and community
events.
20Downtown Bryan Revitalization
- project aims to create a vibrant historic
business district and accentuate the uniqueness
and diversity of the community while maintaining
the historic integrity of the past amidst a
multi-use business/residential environment. An
integral element of the project is the
partnership between the municipality, private
businesses and property owners.
21Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging
- Achievement Award Winners
- Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia
- City of Kirkland, Washington
- Commitment Award Winners
- Brazos Valley Council of Governments, Texas
- Carver County Public Health Division and Carver
County Health Partnership, Minnesota - City of Rogers, Arkansas
- Queen Anne's County Housing Authority, Maryland
- Town of Scarborough, Maine
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24Celebrate Success!
25Media Alert
- Media Alert Brazos Valley Wins EPA Award
- What Brazos Valley Building Healthy Communities
Coalition (BVBHCC) Celebration - When February 13, 2008 from 330-500pm
- Where LaSalle Hotel (Brazos Room) in Downtown
Bryan at 120 South Main Street - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys ( EPA)
Aging Initiative is spearheading a national award
which recognizes communities for their
outstanding comprehensive approaches to
implementing principles of smart growth, as well
as strategies that support active aging. Two
types of
26Vision and Mission
- Vision Every Brazos Valley community ensures the
opportunity to enjoy healthy active living. - Mission The mission of Brazos Valley Building
Healthy Communities Coalition is to engage local
and regional decision makers to partner, plan,
and propose integrated strategies for healthy
living. - Tagline Building a Healthy Brazos Valley
27Plan for the Future
- Leadership
- Goals
- Short term
- Long term
- Focus
- Building enthusiasm
- Maintaining momentum
28Community Garden Project
29Community Gardens provide an opportunity to
incorporate Smart Growth principles at the
neighborhood level
30Identify Key Partners
- State Extension Service
- Master Gardeners
- Junior Master Gardeners
- County Governments
- Parks
- Trails
- RSVP
- City Governments
- Parks and Recreation
- Planning
- Law Enforcement
- NET (Neighborhood Enforcement Team)
- Crime prevention
- Community Service
- Neighborhood Watch
- Local Farmers Market
- Retirement Communities
31Identify Key Partners
- Schools
- Faith Community
- Neighborhood Associations
- Brazos Valley Obesity Prevention Network
- Commercial
- Funders
- BVHP
- Academic
- SRPH
- Horticulture
- Architecture
- Parks and recreation
- Kinesiology
- Student Volunteers
32Small Group Planning Meeting for Community Garden
- Agenda
- Welcome
- Introductions
- How and where the Idea/Opportunity came up
- General community concerns regarding promoting
healthy environments - Summary of Dr Lees class Questions
- North Carolina Model
- Questions
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Action Plan
- Recommendation (if any) to present to BVHCC
33Bittle Lane Park
- Project Summary
- LAND601 Landscape Architectural Design Theory
(2-Week Studio Project) - Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban
Planning - Texas AM University Fall Semester 2007
34Lessons Learned
- Amazing enthusiasm for project
- Incredible resources to support Community Gardens
in our region - Start small
- There have been and continue to be community
gardens in the region - We need to learn from our mistakes and take
advantages of learnings from successful gardens - Safety concerns are important
35Lessons Learned
- Get buy in and commitment from the
local/neighborhood folks before beginning - Find local champions
- Develop a protocol rather than one big project
- Think in terms of intergenerational projects
- Develop a model that can be in the rural areas as
well as the peri-urban areas - Plan for sustainability from the beginning
- The time seems to be right!
36www.LNActiveAging.org
37Go Texan Certified Retirement Community
- Application Section
- A . Client information
- B. Chief elected official
- C. Local contact person
- D. Web search criteria
- E. Population information
F. Payment exact population x .25 cents or
5,000.00 (whichever is the higher amount) G.
Chief elected official signature H. Checklist for
Go Texan Certified Retirement Community
program application
Texas Department of Agriculture Rural Economic
Development Division P.O. Box 12401 Austin,
Texas 78711
38- We can do more working together than any of us
can alone !