The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) was awarded $1.1 million on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the HHS Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) initiative, a comprehensive prevention and wellness initiative funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
NRPA's award will support activities over a 24-month period that will promote policies, systems and environmental change strategies to advance the nation's efforts to prevent chronic diseases and related risk factors. NRPA will work in partnership with local communities to provide expert guidance and implement strategies that positively impact policies, systems and environments. NRPA's activities have long included health and wellness programs that support its organizational mission.
CPPW reflects HHS' broader commitment to helping prevent disease before it starts. The program has five distinct initiatives: a community initiative, a states and territories change initiative, a states chronic disease self-management initiative, the national organizations initiative and a supporting media campaign.
NRPA Chief Executive Officer Barbara Tulipane attended an announcement of the awards at HHS Headquarters on July 7, 2010, in which representatives from the selected organizations participated in a roundtable discussion with HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H., to share highlights of each organization's expertise and identify opportunities for cross collaboration.
“NRPA is pleased to help lead the fight against chronic disease and encourage communities in America to live healthier, more active lifestyles,” said Tulipane. “Improving our nation's health begins with the positive choices of each individual. Through the CPPW grant, we can ensure that our message makes an impact in local communities in the U.S. and eventually resonates throughout the country.”
In addition to NRPA, the CPPW awardees include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Association of American Indian Physicians, BlazeSports America, the Community Food Security Coalition, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, the Sesame Workshop and the Society for Public Health Education.
CPPW grant recipients will provide expert guidance to community leaders, help sustain prevention efforts when Recovery Act funding ends, and foster a national movement toward prevention by implementing key practices across their networks and systems. The selected national organizations will also help communities implement prevention policies that will enable residents to live longer, healthier lives.
Examples of these strategies include: incentives to food retailers to locate and offer healthier options in underserved areas; healthier choices in child care, schools and the workplace; subsidized memberships to recreational facilities; safe routes to school; and, evidence-based strategies that discourage tobacco use and increase utilization of cessation programs.
