Washtenaw County Steps Up off to a Running Start

Washtenaw County Public Health and the Washtenaw County Health Improvement Plan (HIP) have partnered with five communities in Washtenaw County to improve cardiovascular health through environmental and policy changes. Longstanding community coalitions -- Healthy Communities (Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester), the Ypsilanti Health Coalition and Pick Up the Pace, Saline!, the health initiative task force of the Saline Coalition for a Quality Community (CQC) -- are lead groups for the “Washtenaw Steps Up” project. 

“This is a community-driven project,” says Project Coordinator and Washtenaw County Health Educator Melissa Fochesato. “By looking at their strengths and areas for improvement, communities will make changes that are tailored to their residents and therefore more likely to succeed.” Communities will begin by completing the Healthy Communities Checklist, a quick assessment of a community’s health environment related to promoting physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco-free lifestyles. Each community group will discover research-based ways in which they can change their environments to make it easier for residents to be healthy. Groups will then choose one cardiovascular risk factor in their community for more in-depth study and develop an action plan to begin later this year.

The lead community groups have a track record working toward health improvement. “I am excited to extend the work we’ve start on healthy living in Saline,” says Gretchen Driskoll, Mayor of Saline and chair of the Pick Up the Pace, Saline group. “I expect this project to have a positive impact on our community.” The grant will allow each lead community group to bring more stakeholders to the table to focus on their community’s cardiovascular health. Dr. Deloisteen Brown, chair of the Ypsilanti Health Coalition, agrees that “involvement in the Washtenaw Steps Up project will allow us to partner with other community agencies and organizations for a more comprehensive approach.”

The trio of health issues addressed by this project – physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco use – represent the key healthy lifestyle issues involved in cardiovascular disease. Current public health research suggests that environmental and policy changes are effective in addressing these issues at a community level. By creating healthier environments and policies, lead community groups can support residents’ healthy lifestyle choices.

For more information about Washtenaw Steps Up, contact Melissa Fochesato at (734) 544-3083 or fochesam@ewashtenaw.org.