ACHIEVE fosters collaborative partnerships between city and county health officials, city and county government, tribal programs, parks and recreation departments, local YMCAs, local health-related coalitions, and other representatives from the school, business, health, and community sectors to implement improvements. State departments of health and other state-level partners provide additional resources and information to help communities meet their goals. Examples of community-based improvements include increased access to and use of attractive and safe locations for engaging in physical activity, revised school food contracts that include more fruits and vegetables and whole grain foods, and placing sidewalks and crossing signals in neighborhoods to make them more pedestrian-friendly.
What is ACHIEVE?
What is ACHIEVE's approach?
What is the purpose of disseminating strategies through national organizations and why is this approach innovative?
What is the role of CDC’s Healthy Communities Program?
What are the expected results for ACHIEVE?
What is the purpose of the ACHIEVE Web site?
What is ACHIEVE?
ACHIEVE (Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental changE) is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Selected national organizations collaborate with CDC to enhance local communities’ abilities to help prevent or manage health-risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and arthritis. Specific activities are directed toward reducing tobacco use and exposure, promoting physical activity and healthy eating, improving access to quality preventive healthcare services, and eliminating health disparities. Five national organizations have been selected to collaborate with CDC’s Healthy Communities Program in conducting ACHIEVE.
- In January 2008, 10 initial communities were jointly selected by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) to pilot the ACHIEVE model in its first year.
- In March 2009, 43 communities were selected to join ACHIEVE.
- In February 2010, an additional 41 communities were added.
- In February 2011, 40 more communities were added, bringing the current total to 134.
The national organizations will support community health action response teams (CHARTs) in those communities through their local affiliates. Communities will receive technical support from national organizations as well as national experts to implement strategies that support and sustain healthy lifestyles where people live, work, learn, and play.
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What is ACHIEVE’s approach?
CDC’s Healthy Communities Program provides funding and technical assistance to selected national organizations in two categories: (A) community funding and (B) translation and dissemination.
Category A awardees are the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, the National Recreation and Park Association, and the YMCA of the USA. Category A organization activities include:
- Facilitating program development;
- Implementing a coordinated community selection process;
- Awarding funding to local entities;
- Reviewing and approving community action plans;
- Providing community-based technical assistance and support;
- Assisting in the local development and implementation of population-based strategies to improve health;
- Providing linkages to resources and other funding opportunities;
- Connecting local communities to national partners and experts;
- Identifying nontraditional partners who can provide additional technical assistance;
- Providing assistance in community evaluation methods; and
- Supporting sustainability planning.
Category B awardees are the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Society for Public Health Education. Category B organizations develop and provide health promotion tools and resources to communities, with a specific emphasis on the following activities:
- Building leadership;
- Disseminating effective tools, resources, and community-based models;
- Promoting electronic communications;
- Developing policy-related products; and
- Creating training opportunities.
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What is the purpose of disseminating strategies through national organizations, and why is this approach innovative?
National organizations are adept at developing innovative, practical, and evidence-based strategies for building partnerships and implementing chronic disease prevention and health promotion policies through their network of affiliates and chapters in local communities. These collaborations and partnerships have integrated public health practice and united local leaders and stakeholders, contributing to the sustainability of healthy communities.
ACHIEVE capitalizes on the experience and expertise of national organizations in strengthening community leadership, building capacity, and activating change. Establishing partnerships with national organizations to achieve chronic disease prevention and health promotion goals in communities.
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What is the role of CDC’s Healthy Communities Program?
In addition to providing ACHIEVE funding to the five national organizations, CDC’s Healthy Communities Program identifies, promotes, and shares evidence- and practice-based strategies and provides technical assistance related to chronic disease prevention and health promotion; evaluation; and program planning. In addition, the Healthy Communities Program provides linkages to national programs and experts, leads and develops Action Institutes, and collaborates with Category A national organizations to develop and review criteria and select local communities for program implementation.
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What are the expected results for ACHIEVE?
Communities will have greater capacity to collaborate with a broad cross-section of partners, which will help build and sustain healthy communities. National organizations will have greater capacity to develop and disseminate tools, models, activities, and strategies to assist communities in these efforts.
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What is the purpose of the ACHIEVE Web site?
This Web site serves to highlight ACHIEVE activities and provides public access to ACHIEVE tools and resources for all interested communities.
The ACHIEVE Web site was developed, with funding from CDC’s Healthy Communities Program, by the five national organizations whose logos appear at the bottom of all Web pages; its contents are solely the responsibility of these five organizations. The selection or omission of content does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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