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Funding Period:
2003–2008
The Steps Program in Clark County, Washington
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
Washington’s Clark County, just across the Columbia River from Portland,
Oregon, is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. It covers 628
square miles in southwestern Washington and has a population of 415,000, 16%
of whom are employed in the Portland metro area. Almost half (48%) of the
county’s residents live in unincorporated areas. The median household income
is $50,836, and almost 12% of residents live below the federal poverty level
(2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates). The target population includes adults,
school-age children, and low-income families.
Spotlight on Success
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The
Clark County Steps Program, in collaboration with the nation's vending
industry, helped launch a new nationwide health-oriented vending program
in April 2008. The new program, called Fit Pick™, includes a host of
vending materials designed to educate consumers about products that meet
specific nutritional standards. The program provides stickers that can
be placed in front of products that meet the standards, other materials
to help educate consumers, and a list of products that meet the
standards. In addition to the materials created by the vending industry,
the Clark County Steps team created a Web site, promotional materials,
and a 65-page tool kit for vending companies and consumer sites. The
Clark County initiative involves local work sites, schools, government
agencies, food distributors, and the four largest vending operators in
the area.
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The
Steps Program helped revise the Clark County Trails and Bikeway Plan and
establish long-term sustainability for building and maintaining trails
and bikeways for the next 20 years. The Clark County Steps Program and
its partners also created a portable, user-friendly walking guide that
provides detailed information on 25 different walking routes, as well as
health information, activity logs, maps, and personal success stories.
Since receiving the Walkaround guide, users report they have gone on 3
to 5 additional trail walks, and usage of a riverfront trail has
increased 36%. Read more about this successful program at
www.cdc.gov/steps/success_stories/pdf/clark_county.pdf
(PDF- 252KB).
Community Partnerships
Community Choices, a nonprofit organization, mobilizes and coordinates
the Steps initiative and works collaboratively with more than 80
organizations and 400 individuals representing schools, businesses, health
care organizations, other nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and
community leaders. The Steps Leadership Team includes representatives from
health care systems, government agencies, schools, the YMCA, university
cooperative extension service, restaurants, academic institutions,
information technology companies, parks and recreation departments, health
insurance plans, and low-income housing, as well as individual young people,
civic planners, and community leaders.
Contact
Steps to a HealthierWA–Clark County
Community Choices
Telephone: 360-567-1087
www.stepstoahealthierclarkco.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: July 31, 2008
Page last modified: July 31, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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