Leadership for Healthy Communities National Initiative History
Program work for this initiative started under the Active Living Leadership name, and its office officially opened in July 2002. In 2007, Active Living Leadership changed its name to Leadership for Healthy Communities and the initiative became a National Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The National Program Office was formed to coordinate the activities of the Leadership for Healthy Communities partner organizations, which currently include American Association of School Asministrators (AASA), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Local Government Commission (LGC), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National League of Cities (NLC), and United States Conference of Mayors (USCM).
Initiative support during 2002-3 focused on five states: California, Kentucky, Michigan, Colorado, and Washington. Partner organizations hosted education forums, briefings, and information sharing sessions as well as provided technical assistance to local and state officials that highlighted effective active living land-use, transportation and programming strategies. Summaries of specific state efforts can be accessed by clicking on the individual state links to the left.
In August 2003, Leadership for Healthy Communities activities were expanded to serve local and state leaders across the nation. While Leadership for Healthy Communities continues to support some activities specific to particular regions or states, the program will focus on providing education and resources for local and state officials to foster sustainable active living policies, programs and places in communities across the country. Leadership for Healthy Communities provides a variety of tools to support the work of state and local leaders, including:
- Webcasts
- Networking meetings
- Policy institutes
- Legislative tracking
- Cost-benefit analyses of physical activity
- Implementation and strategic planning aids, reports and commentaries
- Presentations at national events
- In May 2005, Leadership for Healthy Communities added programs focused on reducing the youth obesity epidemic and improving access to healthy foods.
Importantly, many Leadership for Healthy Communities partner organizations also provide free, tailored technical assistance to local/state elected and appointed government officials on particular policy options, program implementation, or program development/execution. Each partner provides a different range of technical assistance. Please contact the Leadership for Healthy Communities National Program office to discuss options and services available to you at (202) 265-5112 or info@leadershipforhealthycommunities.org.
