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Funding Period:
2003–2008
The Steps Program in Jefferson County,
New
York
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
Jefferson County is a largely rural area located approximately 60 miles
north of Syracuse, New York. The county is part of New York’s "North
Country" and shares the distinction of being part of the famed “Thousand
Islands Region,” an international recreation and tourism destination. The
County's population is 119,738; major population centers include the City of
Watertown and a large U.S. Army base, Fort Drum. Jefferson County has a
median household income of $39,006, with about 13% of residents living below
the federal poverty level (2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates). The Steps
Program provides interventions throughout the community in schools, day-care
centers, municipalities, work sites, and health care settings, with
particular focus on the mentally or physically disabled and low-income
individuals and families.
Spotlight on Success
The Steps Program helped implement a wellness program for school staff
members in one of the county’s rural school districts. This program
contributed to decreases in expenditures by the district’s self-funded
health care plan and resulted in a reduction in employees’ health care
insurance premiums. Read Jefferson County’s success story in The Steps
Program in Action, available at
www.cdc.gov/steps/success_stories/pdf/jefferson.pdf
(PDF- 88KB).
Community Partnerships
The Jefferson County Steps Consortium includes representatives from
businesses, municipalities, agencies, and nongovernmental organizations, as
well as local community residents. The group is highly effective at
collaborating on a wide range of projects and guiding Steps activities in
this rural area. Among the partners are the Tug Hill Commission; Villages of
Theresa, Black River, Adams, West Carthage, Philadelphia, and Clayton; the
City of Watertown; the Velocity Family Fun Center; the North Country
Children’s Clinic; Cornell University Cooperative Extension; all three local
hospitals; the Watertown Family YMCA; Feed the Soul Nutrition; 11 school
districts; Hannaford Supermarket; local health care providers; Watertown
Urban Mission; the CNY Asthma Coalition; T-PACC; Miracles by the Acre; and
many work sites and businesses, including local farmers.
Contact
Steps to a HealthierNY–Jefferson County
Jefferson County Public Health Service
Telephone 315-786-3770
www.ncsteps.org*
*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: August 5, 2008
Page last modified: August 5, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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