Friday, September 13, 2024
9/13/2024
The State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program (SPAN) in the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) has spent the past five years working to address the root causes of overweight and obesity in Kentucky. The program has helped 21 communities finalize new master walk/bike plans to increase infrastructure for active transportation. SPAN educational resources were a key support to passage and implementation of new laws for regulated early childcare education programs, which now have best practice standards for nutrition, physical activity and screen time. In partnership with state organizations, SPAN has helped food banks and food pantries increase their capacity for healthful food offerings. As a result of SPAN assistance, many community members who experience inequitable health disparities have infrastructure in place to support more healthful lifestyles. SPAN proposes to continue to expand upon this success in the next iteration of this funding opportunity. A key emphasis will be creating statewide changes to policies and systems to support implementation of programs and activities at the community level. To create a larger conversation about obesity, nutrition and physical activity, SPAN will be expanding the capacity of the Partnership for a Fit Kentucky to create a true statewide anti-obesity coalition. SPAN will partner with the Community Farm Alliance to expand produce prescription and produce voucher programs in the state, particularly in alliance with local farmer’s markets. Food service guidelines will be implemented in more food pantries due to technical assistance and support to Feeding Kentucky. Finally, SPAN will emphasize sustainability and locally sourced food through public college and university food procurement operators. The SPAN physical activity coordinator has worked closely with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to create a statewide Complete Streets, Roads, and Highways Manual and a Statewide Master Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. SPAN will assist in regional trainings for transportation planners and local decision makers. Due to lack of resources, smaller communities may have difficulties meeting requirements for federal money for transportation initiatives; SPAN will partner with other stake holders to provide information to the Kentucky Office of Federal Highways about reducing requirements for matching dollars to bring more investment to rural communities. Continuing education and technical assistance to Early Childhood Education (ECE) providers will be maintained through Go NAPSACC, with the addition of the Better Together Learning Collaborative facilitated through the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment program. SPAN will promote the Farm to ECE module in Go NAPSACC and expand the partnership with Community Farm Alliance to support local implementation. Con tinuity of care in breastfeeding will be supported with a partnership in WIC that will create a statewide directory of lactation consultants and a business toolkit explaining federal and state laws around lactation and pumping to be disseminated. At the local level, SPAN will release annual funding applications to local health departments to apply based upon their local needs, interests and capacity. Projects must include any of the CDC priority strategy areas supported through this funding opportunity, and will include creating master walk/bike plans, pairing fruit and vegetable vouchers with cooking classes, providing nutrition and farm education through ECE programs and piloting the lactation support program "PACIFY". SPAN will also partner with the Kentucky High Obesity Prevention program to implement produce vouchers and referrals to a Family Healthy Weight program, while SPAN will also collaborate with the Kentucky Heart Disease and Stroke Program to link participants of the Self-Managed Blood Pressure Program in federally-qualified health centers to produce vouchers and local nutrition resources.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
