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?
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