For Subsections of Healthy Strides click the following:
Project Overview
Working to Make Our Community Healthy!
In 2009 the Pacific County Health Department received a Healthy Communities Grant from the Washington State Department of Health. The goal of these grant funds is to improve the health and quality of life in our local community by preventing and managing chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, asthma and diabetes.
Why were we chosen to participate? How healthy is Pacific County? Click on the profile to see.
In Pacific County…
- Almost a third of adults are obese.
- Over a fourth of adults have high blood pressure.
- Over a third of adults have high cholesterol.
Compared to Washington State…
- More Pacific County adults are obese than the state average.
There are many reasons that Pacific County was chosen to participate in this grant. Our residents have higher rates of heart disease, asthma, obesity and diabetes. All of these can be reduced or prevented by increased physical activity, making better choices in our diets and eating more fruits and vegetables, and by reducing or eliminating our exposure to tobacco and second hand smoke.
Members of the Healthy Communities Coalition developed the following statements to describe the group’s vision, mission and purpose:
- VISION: Our vision is that all citizens of Pacific County have access to healthy foods, are physically active, mentally and emotionally well, and live, work, learn and play in toxin-free environments.
- MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all citizens of Pacific County through policy development, environmental change and lifestyle programs that promote healthy living.
- PURPOSE: Our purpose is to improve the health and quality of life in local communities by preventing and managing chronic diseases by addressing the primary risk factors of; tobacco use, physical activity and nutrition. This means changing policies, environments, and systems where people live, work, and play, to make it easy for people to be healthy.
Programs
In 2009 our Healthy Community team met with community members in Long Beach to review data, identify issues and develop a plan to address these issues. With the information from this process, the following five issues were prioritized:
- Physical Activity: working on ways to increase the number of opportunities for safe and affordable activities
- Healthy Nutrition: increasing access and affordability of healthy local fresh fruits and vegetables
- Healthy Environments / Toxin Free Team: decreasing exposure to second hand smoke and other pollutants
- Worksite Wellness: increasing the number of businesses in Pacific County that offer worksite wellness programs
- School Health: assuring schools are providing an environment to support healthy eating and physical activity with staff and students
Current Partners and Key Stakeholders
| Ocean Beach School District | Shorebank Pacific | Chartwells |
| Naselle-Grays River School District | Willapa Behavioral Health | WSU Extension – Master Gardeners |
| Willapa Valley School District | City of Long Beach | WSU Extension |
| Readiness to Learn | Head Start | Community Garden Coalition |
| Green Angel Gardens | Long Beach Grange | NW Insurance & Financial |
| Educational Service District 112 | Ocean Beach Hospital | Legacy Community Outreach |
| Wellspring Community Network |
Resources
These websites offer extensive educational materials and additional links to health resources:
Washington State Department of Health – Nutrition and Physical Activity: http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/NutritionPA/default.htm
Health Education Resource Exchange (H.E.R.E): http://here.doh.wa.gov
For more information, to join the Coalition or one of the Community Teams, or to receive our newsletter please contact one of the following Health Department staff members:
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Melissa Sexton Human Services Programs Specialist 360-875-9300 x2642 [email protected] |