Nashville Awarded $7.5 Million in Public Health Stimulus Funds -
Mayor Dean Provides Details of Public Health Stimulus
Funding Plans
NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 23, 2010 -- Mayor Karl Dean, Director of Health Bill Paul, M.D., and Tennessee’s Commissioner of Health Susan Cooper held at a news conference today to provide plans to use $7.5 million in public health stimulus funds awarded to Nashville. Nashville is the only city in Tennessee awarded the U.S. Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) funding.
“Individual health is a vital part of having a strong, thriving city,” Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said. “Due to lifestyle choices, too many Americans are experiencing preventable diseases that lessen their quality of life and shortens their lifespan. The people of Nashville are no exception. Over the next two years, we will use this grant to increase healthy eating and active living in our community.”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday announced the names of only 44 cities and states that received the Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant awards. More than $370 million is being awarded to communities across the country to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking.
“We look forward to working with our community partners on an aggressive plan to reduce risk factors, promote wellness in children and adults, and provide positive, sustainable health change in Nashville by advancing policy, systems, and environmental approaches with a particular focus on obesity prevention.,” said Dr. Bill Paul, Director of Health of Nashville/Davidson County. “Our plans include support for bringing fresh fruits and vegetables into neighborhoods, healthy foods in schools, establishing community gardens, and increasing access to greenways and bikeways.”
The Metro Public Health Department will receive funding over the next two years to support healthier urban design that promotes physical activity and increases access to safe opportunities for physical activity. CPPW funding will also address improved nutrition by working to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools and targeted Nashville neighborhoods as well as promote increased policy, environmental, and social support for breastfeeding.
CPPW funding will create approximately 40 full time and 40 part time jobs in Nashville, including a variety of public health professionals, community outreach workers, animal control officers, graduate assistants as well as full and part-time jobs within community organizations. Additionally, small demonstration grants will be made available to community and neighborhood groups to improve healthy eating and active living.
An intensive two-year media campaign. The campaign will promote healthy eating and active livings, use of public transportation, walking and bicycling, Safe Routes to School as well as support one episode of the Children’s Health Crisis Series.
The community projects funded by the grant will support:
- Share the Road which is aimed at increasing awareness in addition to improving policy and signage regarding shared use of streets and roadways.
- The Golden Sneaker, a Tennessee Department of Health best practice program that builds lifelong skills for healthy living. Golden Sneaker will be implemented in partnership with Metro Head Start.
- Green Bikes, a prototype bike share initiative seen in many cities around the world. Through Green Bikes, riders will be able to rent bikes for personal uses at little or no cost to the rider. The goal is to provide the Nashville community and its many visitors easy access to bicycles as a means of temporary transportation and healthy recreational activity. Nashville will structure its efforts around the “Bike Share Programs” operating in many cities around the world.
- Both an Urban Garden and Corner Market initiative will be implemented through the Community Food Advocates promoting healthy food, physical activity, and intergenerational activities as well as access to fresh fruits and vegetables in corner stores and neighborhood markets.