Subject: MN PA e-news | May 18, 2010

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National Physical Activity Plan

As part of the launch earlier in May, the National Physical Activity Plan has rolled out a new website which displays the content of the National Physical Activity Plan.The Plan is a living document, and as such will grow over time.To view the content of the Plan, go to http://www.physicalactivityplan.org and click on ‘The Plan’ from the menu on the left.The eight sectors of the Plan and the overarching strategies can be found here. To get involved and stay informed, click on the ‘Get Involved’ link from the menu on the left on the website. | National Physical Activity Plan

Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota

The Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota is made up of several Minnesota-based corporations working together with the Minnesota Department of Health to improve the health and well-being of the people of Minnesota.The Alliance website includes background information on all partners, as well as content about the documentary Too Much To Lose, the book/poll and SHIP, as well as helpful tips and tools for living healthy. The documentary Too Much to Lose aired on Saturday, May 8th at 8:00 pm on NBC. The program is currently available for viewing in its entirety on the Alliance website. | Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota

Get Geared up for Bike Walk Week 2010!

Building on the success of Bike Walk to Work Day in 2009, Bike Walk Twin Cities (BWTC) and partner organizations have extended the event for a full week to create Bike Walk Week 2010 - June5-11th. The week will include celebrating National Trails Day, group rides, Bike Walk to Work Day, and a screening of Beyond the Motor City with director Aaron Woolf. Check out the Bike Walk Week 2010 web site to register for a team and learn more. Be sure to also check out Metro Transit's Commuter Challenge! Find easy to use posters to promote Bike Walk to Work Week | Bike Walk Week Posters | Bike Walk Week Information | Metro Transit Commuter Challenge

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Online Toolkit

Healthfinder.gov recently launched National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Online Toolkit. The toolkit provides readers with easy, actionable ways to educate and engage people in this national health observance—and includes resources from CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.

By promoting the toolkit and sharing this information with your network, you can help promote physical fitness in May.

Elements of the toolkit include:

  • A sample newsletter or listserv article
  • Sample tweets (for organizations on Twitter)
  • “5 Ways to Get Involved”
  • Background information and related healthfinder.gov content
  • A list of tools and resources
  • E-cards, Web badges and more

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Online Toolkit

American Academy of Pediatrics Releases "Policy Options Tool"

The Policy Opportunities Tool from the American Academy of Pediatrics is designed to showcase the various policy strategies that support healthy active living for children and families. This tool is designed for health care professionals who have experience in advocacy and are interested in focusing their advocacy efforts on obesity prevention. The tool provide strategies for increasing access for safe and attractive places for physical activity and increasing physical activity in health care practice, communities, schools, and states. | Policy Options Tool

Childhood Obesity Task Force Unveils Action Plan: Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation

In February, First Lady Michelle Obama launched the Let's Move! campaign to solve the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. As part of this effort, President Barack Obama established the Task Force on Childhood Obesity to develop and implement an inter-agency plan that details a coordinated strategy, identifies key benchmarks, and outlines an action plan to end the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. The action plan defines the goal of ending childhood obesity in a generation as returning to a childhood obesity rate of just 5 percent by 2030, which was the rate before childhood obesity first began to rise in the late 1970s. In total, the report presents a series of 70 specific recommendations, many of which can be implemented right away. Getting children more physical active, a broad recommendation,through quality physical education, recess, and other opportunities in and after school; addressing aspects of the “built environment” that make it difficult for children to walk or bike safely in their communities; and improving access to safe parks, playgrounds, and indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. | Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation Report | Let's Move

Active Living Research Rapid-Response Grants

The Rapid-Response Round 3 call for proposals will support opportunistic, time-sensitive studies on emerging or anticipated changes in physical activity-related policies or environments. Rapid-response grants are expected to accelerate progress toward policy and environmental strategies to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. For maximum impact, studies should be completed in as short a time frame as realistically possible, and results disseminated using methods designed to reach local, state or national decision-makers in time to help inform key policy decisions. Detailed results of these studies, including methodologies and data analyses, along with the outcome of the efforts to reach policy audiences, also should be subsequently reported in peer-reviewed publications.

A total of up to $1.5 million will be awarded under this CFP.  The maximum award for a single grant is $150,000, with a maximum funding period of 18 months. Letters of Intent can be submitted at any time until July 1, 2011 | Active Living Research Rapid-Response Grant Details and Information

Resource to Implement Safe Routes to School in Low-Income Schools

In June, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership will release a new resource guide for SRTS volunteers and professionals, entitled "Implementing Safe Routes to School in Low-Income Schools and Communities." The forthcoming guide highlights promising practices and creative strategies that have been successfully employed in low-income communities throughout the country.

As part of the roll-out of the new resource guide, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership will be holding two webinars to help non-profit organizations and community residents come together and collaborate to develop culturally sensitive, inclusive and successful SRTS initiatives.
Webinar 1: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST
Register at: http://www.instantpresenter.com/PIID=EE55DE8088
This webinar will focus on efforts at low-income schools designed to engage parents as volunteers and champions for SRTS, as well as strategies to reduce crime and violence near schools. Speakers include:

Nora Cody, Safe Routes to School Director, TransForm, Alameda County, CA
Nikki Trevino, Program Coordinator, Austin Healthy Adolescent Initiative, Austin, TX

Webinar 2: Thursday, June 17, 2010, 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST
Register at: http://www.instantpresenter.com/PIID=EE55DE8089
Low-income communities often have limited access to professional expertise, such as planners and engineers, who are critical to planning and obtaining funds for Safe Routes to School programs. In this webinar, learn about two communities in which the local government or a non-profit stepped forward to collaborate with community residents and parents to implement Safe Routes to School initiatives and build buy-in with city leaders. Speakers include:

Bill Swiatek, Senior Planner, Wilmington Area Planning Council, Wilmington, DE
Christy Filby, parent champion, Ridgeway Elementary School, East Moline, IL

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Releases Transportation Policy Recommendations

The U.S. transportation system has been shaped by multiple policy inputs and concrete actions which have arisen from transportation and community planners, funding agencies and others at Federal, state and local levels. Today, the system is designed to move people and goods efficiently; however, there is a growing awareness across communities that transportation systems impact quality of life and health. Government and non-government agencies are seeking innovative policies and programs that protect and promote health while accomplishing the primary transportation objectives. The Transportation Policy Recommendations were developed in partnership with the National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. | Transportation Policy Recommendations

NHTSA Launches SRTS Website for Law Enforcement

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the launch of a new web-based resource for law enforcement officers. The Safe Routes to School for Law Enforcement Web site provides tips, tools and other materials to help law enforcement officers get involved in Safe Routes to School (SRTS), a national effort to enable and encourage children to safely walk and bike to school. The new Web site, which is hosted and maintained by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, is designed to aid officers and law enforcement agencies in local SRTS efforts. The resource includes a wide variety of tools. | SRTS Promotes Role for Law Enforcement

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