Jefferson County Awarded $13.3M as Part of Recovery Act Prevention and Wellness Initiative -

Communities Putting Prevention to Work

Friday, March 19, 2010 the Jefferson County Department of Health was awarded a grant of $13.3 Million (Obesity $6.3 Million, Tobacco $7 Million) for tobacco and obesity prevention. Please join the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership in a press conference and reception to officially announce the receipt of this grant at the Eastern Health Center (601 West Boulevard; Birmingham, AL 35206), 1:00 PM CDT.

This grant award is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking—four critical actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health.

The $372.8 million, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was awarded to 44 communities, including cities, towns, and tribes. These communities are receiving awards to implement policy, systems and environmental change strategies over the next two years as one of several initiatives of HHS Communities Putting Prevention to Work. 

“Our health department is thrilled to facilitate this influx of funds to local organizations that will expand their current work to reduce tobacco use and obesity in our community,” says Dr. Teri Chafin, Director of Community and Dental Health at the Jefferson County Department of Health.

The competitive funding awards to cities, towns, and tribes across the country will allow communities to support healthy choices among their residents through a variety of methods including increasing the availability of healthy foods and beverages, improving access to safe places for physical activity, discouraging tobacco use, and encouraging smoke-free environments.

Specifically, to decrease obesity rates, the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership will focus on interventions to include improving options for safe physical activity by supporting mixed use land development; developing greenways to increase everyday movement and access to physical activity hot spots; improving access to healthy food and beverage options in “food deserts”; establishing neighborhood walking groups in low-income communities; promoting exercise as medicine through employer-sponsored flexible spending accounts; and disseminating health information through mass media and targeted radio dramas.

Jefferson County’s Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation initiative will promote changes in policies to reduce smoking opportunities and reduce access to tobacco products. The county will encourage coverage of cessation services and products through worksite insurance and health policies. The county will also continue its education efforts by highlighting the negative aspects of tobacco use via an aggressive media campaign including social networking sites. 

“Chronic diseases have cost Alabama over $23 billion dollars and is growing,” added Dr. Michael Fleenor, Health Officer of Jefferson County. “Unless we do more to prevent cancer, heart and lung disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases from occurring in the first place—the ultimate goal of our community project—we will never be able to bring health care spending and its more important ‘human cost’ in unnecessary sickness and premature death, under control.”

To learn more about Jefferson County prevention and wellness projects, visit www.jcdh.org.

To learn more about Communities Putting Prevention to Work, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery and www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery.

Disclaimer:  This press release was produced using a template prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.