Strategic Alliance Newsletter
August 2012
Let's Get Healthy California Task Force
Over 600 stakeholders responded to the Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force survey of health priorities, demonstrating a strong groundswell of commitment to shaping a healthier California. Thanks to advocates like you, local priorities are reaching our state-level leaders. Healthy Eating, Active Living, and Childhood Development emerged as the three top ranking priorities.
The Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force was assembled via Executive Order and is Co-Chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Service’s Diana Dooley and Dr. Don Berwick, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. The Task Force has been charged with gathering, evaluating, and prioritizing ideas and practices to improve quality, control costs, promote individual health, and advance health equity, and to organize this information into a 10-year plan for California.
Leaders from Strategic Alliance Steering Committee organizations California Pan-Ethnic Health Network and Latino Health Access serve on the Task Force, and are working to ensure that priorities of health and equity are embedded at each step. Read Taking Action, Strategic Alliance's roadmap for a healthier California, and stand ready to support the Task Force as they further develop their blueprint for the State and provide additional opportunities for input and engagement.
Physical Activity Spotlight
Access to parks and open space plays a critical role in promoting physical activity and creating vibrant communities, and new research continues to support this claim. At the recent International Urban Parks Conference, some exciting findings were presented—from the impact of small “pocket parks” on low-income, high crime areas, to the role after-school parks programs can play in increasing physical fitness levels and maintaining healthy blood pressure. These findings were summarized in the recent article “Prescription for healthier humans: More time at the park,” which opened with the assertion that “Parks are a part of our healthcare system.”
While parks and open space are vital community assets, it remains true that not all communities have equal access to safe, available recreational spaces. Low-income communities and communities of color, for example, have disproportionately low access to park resources. Visit jointuse.org to learn about how the shared use of spaces can improve physical activity environments for children and adults. And read and endorse “Safe Places to Play,” a sign-on letter declaring that all communities deserve safe places to play and be active.
Eye on Industry
The Conversation on Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns
“What is PepsiCo buying with donations to communities of color?” asks the latest blog post from Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG). As the food and beverage industry increasingly utilizes Social Responsibility Campaigns to tout their corporate goodwill (Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of a teen soccer camp is one recently announced example), BMSG’s article highlights the tension such partnerships can create. Read more here.
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New Food Marketing Resource
The Food Marketing Workgroup, a network of organizations and academic experts concerned about the proliferation of food and beverage marketing practices that undermine health, have just launched foodmarketing.org. Visit this new site to browse resources and find ways to get involved.
New Resources
Making the Case for Breastfeeding
NYC’s new hospital breastfeeding initiative, Latch on NYC, has sparked a great deal of conversation in the media. See our latest Rapid Response alert for an analysis of the news coverage, talking points to help advocates respond, and an overview of why hospital policies that support breastfeeding are important for health.
And visit our website for a round-up the latest food and activity resources—from establishing healthy vending policies to promoting safe places to play.
Upcoming Events
Register today: Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles’ 2012 Annual Gala Dinner
Join Prevention Institute on September 9, 2012 for Heroes for Health, the Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles’ 2012 Annual Gala Dinner!
Prevention Institute congratulates the 2012 honorees, Dick Jackson, Tony Iton, Robert Dodge, Andrea Hricko and John Froines, for their significant contributions to the fields of health equity and community prevention. Learn more about the honorees and their work, and click here to purchase tickets.
Visit Strategic Alliance’s Events page for more upcoming events and opportunities.