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Funding Period:
2004–2009
The Steps Program in Fayette County,
Pennsylvania
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
Fayette County is located in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian region, and its
southern communities border West Virginia. The City of Pittsburgh is about
60 miles north of the county seat, Uniontown. Fayette County’s population of
148, 644 is more than 95% white and is highly stable; more than 90% reported
in the 2000 census that they had lived in Fayette County during the 5 years
prior to the census. Nearly 18% of residents lived below the federal poverty
level in 2005, and the median household income was $31,153.
Spotlight on Success
The Fayette County Steps Program partnered with Highmark BlueCross
BlueShield to bring KidShape to the county. KidShape is an evidence-based
weight management program that focuses on increasing awareness about good
nutrition and healthy eating among overweight children aged 6–14, those who
are at risk of becoming overweight, and their family members. The Fayette
County Steps Program coordinates and manages the program, while Highmark
BlueCross BlueShield pays all program costs, including those for materials
and staff salaries (project coordinator, dietitian, and physical
activity/mental health specialists). Families participating in at least 7 of
the 9 sessions have their nominal registration fee returned. Participating
families report eating more fruits and vegetables and spending more time
being physically active, according to program evaluation data. Fayette
County School districts, which regularly assess students’ body weight, can
now connect overweight children and their families with KidShape for help
in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Read this success story in
The Steps Program in Action, available at
www.cdc.gov/steps/success_stories/pdf/fayette.pdf
(PDF- 86KB).
Community Partnerships
The Fayette Community Health Improvement Partnership serves as the
community consortium for the Fayette County Steps Program. The members,
including the chairperson, are all volunteers. The membership represents a
broad cross-section of the community. It includes health care providers and
representatives from the public school systems, institutions of higher
education, business and industry, nonprofit organizations, legislative
staffs, health care insurance providers, and the Pennsylvania Department of
Health. Additional sectors are also represented on each of four task forces
created to address community health priorities.
Contact
Steps to a HealthierPA–Fayette County
Southwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center
Telephone: 412-363-0185
www.stepstoahealthierfayettecounty.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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