The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) announced that Bikur Cholim – Partners in Health in Rockland County in partnership with the Rockland County Department of Health has been selected to become part of the Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE (ACHIEVE) initiative. The Monsey Community is one of 13 U.S. communities that have been selected in 11 states by NACDD to advance community leadership in the nation’s efforts to prevent chronic diseases and related risk factors through a locally collaborative approach. This approach, called Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental changE (ACHIEVE), is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Healthy Communities Program.

“The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) is pleased to partner with the Monsey Community in Rockland County to support the ACHIEVE Initiative”, said John Robitscher, Executive Director of NACDD.  “Promoting healthier lifestyles and supporting healthy communities will help us meet our goal of reducing chronic diseases.  Through community collaboration, we can create a synergy that assists people in making healthy choices where they live, work and play.”

Bikur Cholim – Partners in Health in  Rockland County applied for this program and was selected after a competitive review process. The proposed project will begin with the development of the Monsey Community Health Coalition to meet the health needs of the Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community in Rockland.  The coalition will utilize local resources, create a vision from shared values, engage citizens and stakeholders, solve problems cooperatively, focus on broad-level change, and measure progress in an effort to create policies and improve the environment that support a healthier community.

“Bikur Cholim is very excited about this unique opportunity to work collaboratively with the public to create a healthier community. Our primary goal is to serve our community by fostering positive change in health and behavior” said Rabbi Simon Lauber, CEO and founder of the organization.

“The RCDOH is delighted that this ACHIEVE award will advance community collaboration in Monsey to address chronic disease risk through policies that promote better nutrition and increased physical activity said Dr. Joan H. Facelle, Rockland County Commissioner of Health.

ACHIEVE is an innovative approach that brings together all sectors of a community to spur policy change toward prevention of chronic diseases. The purpose of ACHIEVE is to bring together local leaders and stakeholders to build healthier communities by promoting policy, systems, and environmental change strategies that focus on physical activity, nutrition, tobacco cessation, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease The 2009 ACHIEVE communities will build on the successes learned in the 2008 ACHIEVE pilot communities. The ACHIEVE approach aims to promote improvements such as increased access to and use of attractive and safe locations for engaging in physical activity; revised school food contracts that include more fruits and vegetables and whole grain foods; and requirements for sidewalks and crossing signals in neighborhoods to make them more pedestrian-friendly, among others.

NACDD, the National County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), and the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) all partnered to fund 43 communities in 21 states to become part of ACHIEVE, an aggressive social movement that is mobilizing leaders in local communities to respond to the public health challenge of obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition.

(Eli Gefen – YWN)