ACSM American Fitness Index™Actively Moving America to Better Health

ACSM American Fitness Index™Actively Moving America to Better Health

AFI Community Action Guide

Overview

ACSM American Fitness Index™ ACSM American Fitness Index™

ACSM American Fitness Index™ (AFI) focuses on: – Health behaviors– Chronic disease– Health care– Built environment– Recreation – School PE

Identifies community strengths & challenges

AFI Program GoalAFI Program Goal

Improve the health, fitness and quality of life of Americans by promoting physical activity

Helping All CommunitiesHelping All Communities

AFI data report includes top 50 metro areas

Information can help all communities look at same types of data

AFI Community Action Guide companion to AFI data report

AFI Community Action GuideAFI Community Action Guide

Easy to read

Practical

Supports community-based efforts to improve health

Guide not How-to Manual

Links to resources & tools

What’s In the Action Guide?What’s In the Action Guide?

Executive Summary

Background about AFI

Leadership

Coalitions

Planning

Advocacy

Moving Forward

Available OnlineAvailable Online

www.americanfitnessindex.org

Why Physical Activity?Why Physical Activity?

54% U.S. adults don’t get enough physical activity

Inactivity doubles risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes & obesity

Annual estimated cost of inactivity $24 to $76 billion

Modest increase in activity produces great health benefits

Don’t Reinvent the WheelDon’t Reinvent the Wheel

National Physical Activity Plan identifies 12 states with plans www.physicalactivityplan.org

Governor’s Councils on Physical Fitness www.physicalfitness.org/state_councils.html

Councils of Government (COGs)

Health departments

Parks & recreation departments

AFI Community Action Guide Who Is the Guide For?AFI Community Action Guide Who Is the Guide For?

People interested in:

Community health & wellness

Physical activity

Smart growth

Community planning

Parks, open space & recreation

Youth services

Aging services

LeadershipLeadership

Catalysts

Engage the community

Help recruit coalition

Lead policy efforts

Help assure sustainability

Types of Leaders: FigureheadTypes of Leaders: Figurehead

High profile name

Spokesperson

Helpful with networking& opening doors

Usually limited time available

In-kind support

Types of Leaders: ActiveTypes of Leaders: Active

Agenda setting Recruiting others Strategic planning Facilitating Resources Presentations Building sustainability

Types of Leaders: StaffTypes of Leaders: Staff

Fiscal management Reporting Monitoring Operations Communication Follow-up Primary point of contact

Leadership Game PlanLeadership Game Plan

Be clear with what you are asking leaders to do

Indicate amount of time needed

Identify leaders who can share power

Identify leaders who can bring resources to the table

CoalitionsCoalitions

Work to achieve shared goals

Represent broad community interests

Provide unified direction

Work from defined objectives

Coalition FunctionsCoalition Functions

Community awareness, education & strengthening knowledge

Educating policy makers

Influencing public & private policy issues

Building support for improvements in infrastructure

Changing organizational practices

Starting Your CoalitionStarting Your Coalition

Define goals & objectives

Determine who should be involved

Set up operational processes

Building Your CoalitionBuilding Your Coalition

Communicate

Listen

Determine decision-making process

Determine how tasks will be assigned

Set processes for follow-up & reporting

Recognize & celebrate successes

Coalition PitfallsCoalition Pitfalls Lack of clear leadership

No plan unclear goals & objectives

Focus too broad

Poor decision-making process

Impatience

Poor follow-up

Inadequate communication

Imbalance in authority

Competition or conflict

Meetings– Too many – Too long– Hard-to-get to – Too infrequent

Not enough funding

People turnover & burnout

Language & cultural barriers

PlanningPlanning

Provides clear focus

Supports monitoring and assessment

Facilitates new program development

Planning Elements Planning Elements

Vision: Clear, broad, inspiring, easy to communicate

Mission statement: Easy to understand, outcome-oriented, inclusive

Objectives: Specific, measurable

Strategies: How objectives will be reached

Action plan: Detail –who does what, when

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment

Obtaining & analyzing information

Determine the status and service needs

Asset MappingAsset Mapping

What resources exist?

People Relationships Infrastructure Financial resources

Developing Asset MapsDeveloping Asset Maps

Identify community assets– Address– Category– Telephone number– Website

Develop spreadsheet listing assets

Map asset locations

Wants vs. Needs Wants vs. Needs

Wants Needs

We want to build a new

park

We need easily accessible, affordable, and attractive places where people can be physically active

We want more streetlights

We need to address safety issues for pedestrians

We want to create bicycle lanes

We need to make our roads safer for bicyclists, and also consider the needs of motorists

Gap AnalysisGap Analysis

Review asset maps:

Determine strengths & weaknesses

What is missing?

What is poorly addressed?

Monitoring & EvaluationMonitoring & Evaluation

Helps know progress made toward goals

Important to funders

Helps measure success

Builds trust

Considerations Considerations

Who will use the information?

What is being evaluated?

What are the evaluation methods?

How will information be gathered?

How will information be analyzed?

How will information be communicated?

Public Policy AdvocacyPublic Policy Advocacy

Advocacy Education

Public Policy Addressing and influencing laws, codes & regulations

Rules of AdvocacyRules of Advocacy

From the American Public Health Association

1. Get to know legislators 2. Get to know staff

3. Identify partners 4. Know opponents

5. Build relationships 6. Be honest

7. Be polite 8. Know processes

9. Be brief 10.Follow-up

Moving ForwardMoving Forward

Chronic diseases attributable to physical inactivity and unhealthy diets are a “clear and present danger”

Focus on prevention

Address underlying health risks

Focus on community interventions

QUESTIONS?