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What's New At Steps?
Special Newsletter on Childhood Obesity
Steps Youth Survey Highlights
Fayette, Luzerne &Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania
2007
Get in STEP! Issue 2-08
Steps to a Healthier PA Fact Sheet 2008
Diabetes Hospitalization Data Report Shows Potential Positive Effect of Steps Programs on Diabetes-related Hospitalization Rates.
Executive Summary Diabetes Hospitalization Data Report
Diabetes Steps Hospital Report Data Tables
 Welcome to the Steps to a Healthier Pennsylvania!
Steps to a Healthier Pennsylvania is a series of community-based chronic disease prevention efforts and activities that are helping people in Tioga, Fayette and Luzerne Counties to live longer, better and healthier lives. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Steps to a HealthierUS 5-year cooperative agreement program has provided funds to the Pennsylvania Department of Health to implement chronic disease prevention efforts focused on reducing the burden of diabetes, obesity, and asthma and addressing three related risk factors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. The term “Steps” refers to the steps each person can take to improve his or her health.
Steps Program Locations: The Department has entered into five-year grant agreements with the Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) that serve Tioga, Fayette and Luzerne Counties. In each of these counties, Steps is working with local AHECs, State Health Improvement Partnerships (SHIPS), schools, worksites, community groups and health care providers to help residents reduce their risk of diabetes, obesity, and asthma by promoting physical activity and good nutrition, and by working to reduce tobacco use.
Lead Steps Partners: Lead Partners in these three counties are:
• Tioga County: North Central Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and Tioga County Partnership for Community Health;
• Fayette County: Southwest AHEC; Community Health Improvement Partnership
• Luzerne County: Northeast AHEC; Healthy Northeast Pennsylvania
Steps Funding: In federal fiscal year 2004, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HHS/CSC) allocated $35.8 million to increase funding to the existing 24 communities and to fund an additional 16 state-coordinated small cities/rural communities, including three counties in Pennsylvania, for a total of 40 communities. HHS/CDC awarded $1.76 million to the Department of Health for the Period of September 2005 through September 2006 to fund the three counties participating in the Steps to a Healthier Pennsylvania Program. The City of Philadelphia also has a Steps program that is funded directly through HHS/CDC.
Target Population: The Target population for Steps includes:
• Rural and small communities.
• School-age children and school staff.
• Mothers of infants and young children in day care and Head Start centers.
Steps Activities and Interventions: Local Steps programs work with agency partners and community groups to offer, sponsor an/or support a variety of evidence-based interventions that target schools, worksites, health care providers and community residents. For further information on Steps counties’ activities and interventions, please click on the links to the specific Steps county. The county Steps web sites can be accessed by clicking on the county name below the Steps logo at the top of the screen.
Evaluation: Steps to a Healthier Pennsylvania provides training and technical assistance in each Steps community to develop measurable program objectives and specific indicators of progress and use of relevant data to support ongoing program improvement. HHS will also conduct a national evaluation of the entire program. Existing data sources, such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the Steps to a Healthier Youth Survey, will be used to identify and measure program outcomes and assess progress toward program goals.
State Partners: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Physical Activity, East Stroudsburg University, Head Start Programs, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Action for Healthy Kids and local school districts, and the YMCA.
You can get involved in Steps! To help you, your family, and your community become healthier:
• Visit the Fayette, Tioga, Luzerne county Steps web sites to learn more about what is happening in those areas. You may also visit the Philadelphia web site for information on Steps to a Healthier Philadelphia. The county Steps web sites can be accessed by clicking on the county name below the Steps logo at the top of the screen.
• Learn more about ways that you can take steps to a healthier you and steps to improve the health of your community by checking the Internet resources focusing on diabetes, nutrition, asthma, physical activity, and school health. Check the quick links section below.
Past Newsletters and Fact Sheets
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