NACCHO MCH, Conference Call March 29, 2007 Presenters for Somerville, Massachusetts :

1. NACCHO MCH, Conference Call March 29, 2007 Presenters for Somerville, Massachusetts : Noreen Burke, Director Health Department Jessica Collins, Director Somerville Community Health Agenda, CHA

2. Somerville, MA • ~ 78,000pop • 4.1 square miles • Mayor and 11 Alderman • 50+ reported languages spoken at home • Heart disease and lung cancer leading causes of death • Social Fabric: • Gentrification & increasing immigrant population • Community coalition rich / Few $ resources • Good relations with community entities/competing with Boston • Walkable / Highway system

4. Baseline data: Prevalence of Overweight among Somerville 1st - 3rd Graders 53% 26% 20% 1% Underweight: < 5th percentile Not at risk: > 5th to <85th percentile At risk:  85th to < 95th percentile Overweight:  95th percentile Reference: NHANES 2000 Fall 2003 Economos, 2004

5. Somerville’s “Risky” Behavior • Only 33% of children walk to/from school • Only 58% meet fruit recommendations • Only 15% meet vegetable recommendations • Only 50% meet dairy recommendations • 50% of 6-9 year olds have TV in their bedroom Economos, 2004

6. About Shape Up Somerville Started as a community based participatory research study at Tufts University - environmental intervention to prevent childhood obesity targeting 1st-3rd graders Evolved into community wide campaign led by a SUS Taskforce Taskforce Mission: a city wide campaign to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through programming, physical infrastructure improvements, and policy work.

7. Multi-level Intervention • Community • Local Champions • Walking /Pedestrian Trainings • City Employee Wellness Campaign • Farmers Market • Physician and Nurse Training • Approved Restaurants • Policy Development • Annual 5 K Family Fitness Fair • Media Placement • Before School • Breakfast Program • Walk to School Campaign • School • School Food Service • Classroom Curriculum • Enhanced Recess • Policy Development • After School • After School Curriculum • Home • Parent Outreach and Education • Family Events • Parent Nutrition Forums

8. City of Somerville Health Department Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development Women’s Commission Somerville Public Schools Union Square Main Streets Tufts University, Friedman School Groundwork Somerville Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers Federation of MA Farmers Markets Cultivated Partnerships

9. Study Funding: CDC US Potato Board Dole Food Co. Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA United Way of MA Bay Study Sponsors Whole Foods Market Gaining Ground New Balance WGBH Stoneyfield Farm Funders and Sponsers • Health Department Funding: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation • - Active Living by Design • Healthy Eating by Design • Tufts University

12. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Aims: To drive the campaign by thinking and acting collectively around a shared vision for a healthy Somerville. • Guide and collaborate in the promotion of public health education messaging • Inform and influence policy-making • Assist in grant writing to sustain programmatic and physical infrastructure work • Coordinate complimentary programming • Share data and information • Bring in experts when appropriate

13. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Accomplishments to Date: Guide and collaborate in the promotion of public health education messaging Proud Participant of Shape Up Somerville

14. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Accomplishments to Date: Inform and influence policy-making • Mayor and Alderman approved funding for the position of Pedestrian and Bike Coordinator be absorbed into City budget from grant funding in Fall 2005 • Mayor required all cross walks be painted in thermo plastic material to provide longer lasting, brighter capability for pedestrian safety Spring 2004 • The School Wellness Policy was approved February 2005 • Mayor Curtatone initiated SafeSTART (a Pedestrian Safety Taskforce) and recommendations for major streetscape and safety changes were presented to the Mayor and Alderman January 2007 (eg. Raised cross walks, countdown for all pedestrian signals, etc)

15. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Accomplishments to Date: Inform and influence policy-making continued • Mayor initiated a new City employee benefit policy for reimbursements $200/year for gym membership was approved January 2007 • Mayor and Alderman approved funding for a new Health Department position, the Shape Up Somerville Coordinator, • Mayor initiated the “Mayor’s Fitness Challenge” encouraging city departments to increase physical activity during the day led by Health Department. • City Health Department purchased and has agreed to absorb the maintenance costs of the EBT (Electronic Balance Transfer) machine which accepts food stamp benefit cards at both of the Farmer’s Markets in Somerville.

16. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Accomplishments to Date: Assist in grant writing to sustain programmatic and physical infrastructure work • Secured funding for ALbD evaluation grant from RWJF • Received funding from State DOE for Team Nutrition grant • Received CHNA funding for Food Service Wellness trainings • Received Urban Self Help grant to check brown fields around community path park

17. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Accomplishments to Date: Coordinate complimentary programming • East Somerville Neighborhood Walk • Shape Up Somerville 5K (Health Dpt) • Fitness Buddies 100+ (Health Dpt) • School system gave Wellness RFP to each school for $ to coordinate school programming specific to school needs based on data • Shape Up Somerville Seniors

18. Shape Up Somerville Taskforce Accomplishments to Date and Evaluation: Share data and information • Youth Indicators Report (Health Dpt) • Public School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Funded by Health Dpt) • Public School height, weight and fitness data • We added questions to two City survey’s for Citizens and Employees • BRFSS data • Continued physical assessments • Key Informant Interviews

19. Body Mass Index (BMI) Somerville 4-8th graders 2006 • This spring 4th through 8th graders were tested in physical education classes for cardiovascular ability. Youth who were at a healthy weight were more likely to pass the fitness test than overweight youth. DATA SOURCE: Physical Education Program Grant 2006 BMI Report; Institute for Community Health, Tufts University; Total N=926;

20. Participation in Health Habits among Somerville Youth2006 N=1003; 2005 N=1036 DATA SOURCE: Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Health Dpt.

21. Recognition to Date: • Highlighted in: • The National League of Cities Toolkit 2006 • Walk Boston’s Golden Shoe Award 2007 • NACCHO Conference Call March 2007 • US Conference of Mayors Healthy Cities Information Exchange newsletter June 2007

22. There is NO Magic Bullet • Each community has different strengths and resources • Social change is slow • Social change is very dependent on the health and strength of relationships • Follow your “champions” • Focus on initiatives that have: • Designated leadership • Designated meeting time for leadership • Sustainability potential