AustinTravis County Health

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Austin/Travis County Health Human Services
Department

• The role of public health is to
• Promote community-wide wellness,
• Prevent disease, and
• Protect the community from infectious diseases,
  environmental hazards, and epidemics
• Steps to a Healthier Austin Reducing the Burden
  of Chronic Disease in Austin and Travis County
• NACCHO Conference
• St. Paul, Minnesota, July, 2004
• David Lurie, Director

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Austin Equity Commission

• Wages
• Education
• Workforce Development
• Affordable Housing
• Early education and care
• Health
• Transportation

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Equity Commission Health

• Health Disparities
• Promoting Wellness and Prevention
• Access to Care
• Substance Abuse

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Consortium

• Representatives from the Community
• Clients
• Business leaders
• Policy and decision makers (local and state
  level)
• Faith-based organizational leaders
• Healthcare organizational leaders
• Non-profit organizational leaders

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Steps Consortium Participants

• Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
• Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Capital Area African American Chamber of Commerce
• Austin Independent School District
• University of Texas School of Nursing
• Austin Travis County Mental Health and Mental
  Retardation
• Sustainable Food CenterAustin Community Gardens
• Texas Cooperative Extension Service
• Austin Parks and Recreation Department
• Austin Community Cares Services Department
• Trust For A Smokefree Texas
• Del Valle Independent School District Austin
  Inter-Faith Alliance
• American Cancer Society American Diabetes
  Association
• American Heart Association American Lung
  Association
• Huston Tillotson College Austin Health
  Connection
• Austin Housing Authority Health Ministry Team
  Churches
• Capital Metro El Buen Samaritano
• Trans Texas Alliance Texas Department of Health
• YMCA RunTex

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STEPS to a HealthierUS Overview

• Reduce the burden of chronic disease
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Asthma
• Reduce risk behaviors
• Poor nutrition
• Lack of physical activity
• Tobacco use and exposure

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Steps and Social Justice

• Target area for STEPS to a Healthier
  Austin/Travis County located in 21 contiguous
  zip code areas
• Target areas have higher rates of Chronic
  disease and generally less access to health cares
• STEPS collaborations involve organizations from
  all over Travis County

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Intervention Area
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Intervention Area Mortality Ratesby
Race/Ethnicity
Note 2000-2001 Age adjusted mortality rate per
100,000
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Accomplishments to DateImproving Nutrition

• Created new Farmers Stands in intervention area
• Implementation of no FMNV policy, K-12 within
  AISD
• 26 campuses participating in Team Nutrition
• Identified as Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn
  school
• AISD Food Service increased availability of fresh
  fruits/vegetables, removed all high-fat/sugar/calo
  rie snack items, removed fried items
• Collaboration with Sustainable Foods, La Cocina
  Alegre, and AISD School Health Advisory Council

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Accomplishments to DateIncrease Physical Activity

• Implemented Walk Texas "Physical Activity Safety
  Seminar
• Implemented 8 Walk Texas groups within the
  intervention area for a 10-Week Challenge
• Sponsored 25 nonprofit organizations to
  participate in Governors Texas Round Up
• Work with the Mayors Office to promote the
  Mayors Fitness challenge
• Participate on the Mayors Fitness Council

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Accomplishments to DateReduce Tobacco Exposure

• Implemented new smoking ordinance effective June
  1, 2004
• Created and implemented new OriGENal Voices
  tobacco prevention intervention
• Provided training to AISD physical education and
  law enforcement officers on Towards No Tobacco
  Curriculum
• Completed plan to provide smoking cessation
  counseling through American Cancer Society
  Quitline

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Accomplishments to DateDisease Management
Programs

• Created a diabetes patient registry for CCSD
  patients
• Conducted numerous health education seminars on
  diabetes in various community settings
• Collaborated with KLRU to promote diabetes
  awareness
• Conducted Diabetes Sunday Outreach efforts
• Planned and implemented first Central Texas
  Diabetes Summit
• Conducted a School Walk for Diabetes at 55 AISD
  schools

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Accomplishments to DateSchool-based Interventions

• Health Services Augmentation
• Coalition formed between AISD, Childrens
  Hospital, and Asthma Coalition
• Collaboration and assessment of existing
  materials
• Development of assessment tools and family
  education materials
• Provided technical assistance to two other school
  districts in preparation for FY05 funding cycle

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Vision

• A Community Embracing Healthy Living for All

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Mission

• To inspire people to take steps to adopt
  healthy lifestyles by
• Promoting healthy behaviors
• Implementing disease prevention and management
  programs, and
• Advocating for policy change 

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Benefits of Participation

• Improved employee productivity
• Improved student learning
• Decreased work school absenteeism
• Decreased health care costs
• Opportunity to impact a community
• Healthier community