Moses Lake Healthy Communities Project

The Moses Lake community in Washington has undergone three major policy and/or environmental changes as part of its Healthy Communities Project. The planning process began in 2003. A number of changes were put in place in 2004 and 2005. Other policy and environmental changes are in the process of being put in place.

As part of a trail planning charette, the Moses Lake community developed a master plan for an integrated trail system. The plan was adopted by the Moses Lake City Council as part of the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive plan and by Grant County as part of the six year road plan for the county. Several new projects are in the design and funding stages that will result in 10 more miles of new paths and connections between existing paths. Civic organizations have volunteered to make trail improvements, businesses have donated land, and several city and county ordinances have been changed to include trail development. The intended outcome was to develop a network of linked paths that is used throughout Moses Lake for exercise, recreation, transportation, and tourism to promote healthier lifestyles for the community.

In 2003, land adjacent to the City Hall was turned into a community garden with over 70 plots. A tool shed, free soil, shared tools and a watering system made gardening a possibility for community members. The Moses Lake Community Garden is a place open to all people of Moses Lake to gather and grow healthy food; enjoy healthy leisure activity; learn about gardening, nutrition, and food preparation; and eat more fruits and vegetables. Over half the gardeners surveyed reported they ate more fruits and vegetables while they participated in the garden and 80% stated that they used the garden to stretch their food dollar. One local resident reported that he spends his summer mornings in the garden rather than at home drinking coffee and watching television.

The Breastfeeding Coalition is working to increase knowledge and acceptance of breastfeeding by providing training and resources for health care providers, working with local media, educators, and civic organizations. They have introduced child care providers, local businesses to the need for worksite policies that support breastfeeding. They are working with the local hospital administration and staff to institute a breastfeeding friendly hospital policy. The intended outcome is to promote, protect and support breastfeeding in the Moses Lake community so that good nutrition at birth is a basic part of good nutrition throughout life.

Policy/Environmental Change Initiation

With funding from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a large group of stakeholders joined with the WA State Department of Health to develop a state plan that focuses on policy and environmental changes to increase physical activity and good nutrition. The recommendations in the plan provide a model for communities in the state to adopt. The City of Moses Lake was selected as the first pilot community based on its demographics and health statistics.

Public Health Agency Roles

The local public health department was involved in the initial planning and assessment phase of the project which resulted in the development of a Moses Lake Healthy Communities Action Plan. The health officer is a strong advocate of breastfeeding which resulted in breastfeeding being one of the three priority areas selected by the advisory committee. Presently, health department staff serve on the leadership team.

Major Partners

Major partners involved in this effort included:

· City of Moses Lake (see below)

· Moses Lake Business Association

· National Park Service Rivers and Trails Conservancy Program

· WA State Department of Health

· University of Washington, Center For Public Health Nutrition and Health Promotion Research Center

Official Support

Public officials who supported this effort included:

· Mayor of Moses Lake

· Member of Moses Lake City Council

· Health Officer and Personal Health Director, Grant County Health Department

· Grant County Commissioner

· City of Moses Lake; Parks and Recreation, Community Development, Public Works, and Municipal Services Departments

Results from the Policy/Environmental Change

Impact and outcomes are being tracked. Major outcomes to date are listed above. Each work team developed and monitored “measures of success”. Environmental changes will be documented by comparing baseline and future audit data. Long term health outcomes and behaviors will be monitored comparing BRFSS data from an over-sample of the Moses Lake population in 2003 with future surveys.

Opposition

With the Healthy Communities projects there was not direct or organized opposition. Initially some community members wanted the focus of the Healthy Communities Project to be on awareness and individual behavior change. Approaching change from an environmental/policy perspective was new for many people.

Lessons Learned

The most important lessons learned in this effort include:

· Policy/ environmental changes take time especially with communities who are more comfortable and familiar with individual behavior change.

· Community members passionate about this work are “action-focused” and often feel frustrated with the planning and evaluation process.

· It’s crucial to develop leadership skills within the community so when leaders move on or project funding ends, efforts can be sustained.

· Being strategic in selecting advisory committee members means the right players are at the table. These community members are: 1) able to identify and recruit other partners; 2) knowledgeable about physical activity, nutrition, and the built environment; 3) represent diverse members of the community, and 4) can influence policy and environmental change in the community.

Submitted By:

Ruth Abad

Healthy Communities Specialist

Washington State Department of Health

P. O. Box 47836

360-236-3702

360-236-3708 FAX

ruth.abad@doh.wa.gov

For more information contact:

James Kissee

Washington State Department of Health

P. O. Box 47836

360-236-3623

360-236-3708 FAX

James.Kissee@doh.wa.gov