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Funding Period:
2004–2009
The Steps Program in Cleveland, Ohio
CDC’s
Steps Program funds states, cities, and tribal groups to implement
community-based chronic disease prevention programs to reduce the burden of
obesity, diabetes, and asthma by addressing three related risk factors:
physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. Steps-funded programs
are showing what can be done locally in schools, work sites, communities,
and health care settings to promote healthier lifestyles and help people
make long-lasting and sustainable changes that can reduce their risk for
chronic diseases.
Background
The Steps Program in Cleveland, Ohio, is working in all four Steps focus
areas to build healthier communities throughout the city. Cleveland is home
to more than 117 identified ethnic groups and has 36 distinct neighborhoods.
Programmatic efforts are focused on people most affected by chronic
diseases, including racial and ethnic minority groups, low-income persons,
those living in at-risk neighborhoods, and the medically underserved. In the
intervention area, 54% of residents are black or African American, 32% live
below the federal poverty level, and 48% of children live in poverty.
Spotlight on Success
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The Steps Program in Cleveland has
partnered with the Ohio State University Extension Service’s Community
Gardening program to start community gardens in targeted neighborhoods.
This partnership surpassed its goal of starting 8 new gardens in 2006 by
creating 13 new gardens and engaging 624 new gardeners. In 2007, more
new gardens were cultivated in additional neighborhoods. The words of
Monroe Cuff, a community gardener, speak to the power of community
gardens: “This garden changed my life.” Read this success story in
The Steps Program in Action, available at
www.cdc.gov/steps/success_stories/pdf/cleveland.pdf (PDF-82KB).
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In addition, the Steps Program in
Cleveland has partnered with the Cleveland Municipal School District to
support the district’s comprehensive health plan. Through this
partnership, Steps brought physical activity, nutrition, tobacco-free
lifestyle, diabetes and asthma management, and safety programs to more
than 13,000 students and 5,300 staff members. While Steps’ efforts were
focused on 16 schools, many school-based activities had a wide-reaching
impact by serving the entire district, which included more than
57,000 students.
Community Partnerships
In addition to a leadership team of 21 members representing all sectors
of the Cleveland community, Cleveland’s Steps Program is guided by active
community partnerships. The community partnerships include both traditional
and nontraditional partners and comprise 236 people, all of whom share a
common vision of a healthier Cleveland. Partnership members convene on a
quarterly basis to learn about a Steps-related topic and engage in group
discussion about the program’s collective progress and impact. Many
individual partner-ship members participate in one of five Steps work
groups: health care providers and community health workers, communications,
faith-based, school-based, and work site. The community partnerships are
also working to establish a long-term model for sustaining the Steps Program
movement.
Contact
Steps to a Healthier Cleveland
Cleveland Department of Public Health
Telephone: 216-664-STEP (7837)
www.clevelandhealth.org/steps*
*Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a
service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization
by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is
not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found
at this link.
One or more documents on this Web page are available in Adobe Acrobat® Format
(PDF).
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files on this page.
Page last reviewed: May 2, 2008
Page last modified: July 29, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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