HEAC Technical Assistance
Experienced HEAC technical assistance providers support community change in California
Expertise from a strong network of technical assistance providers with experience in each sector of the community provided hands-on support to the HEAC sites, working statewide to increase access to healthy food and physical activity. Most of the tools, materials and training they developed while working with HEAC communities are available, in some cases for free download from their websites.
School Sector
Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activity & Nutrition) www.californiaprojectlean.org
Focuses on youth empowerment, policy and environmental change strategies, and community-based solutions to improve food and physical activity within schools. Joint program of the California Department of Public Health and the Public Health Institute. Project LEAN provided technical assistance to help HEAC community coalitions create healthier food and physical activity environments within schools in their communities.
After School Sector
CanFit (California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness) www.canfit.org
Culturally appropriate training and policy implementation to improve food and physical activity in after school settings. Engages communities and builds capacity to improve nutrition and physical activity status in low-income African American, American Indian, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander youth. CANFit helped HEAC coalitions work with all varieties of after school programs, to create after school opportunities to eat healthy and be active. CANFit also worked with youth to advocate for change, using video, spoken word, and social media, through the Mo Project.
Healthcare Sector
Kaiser Permanente www.kp.org
Development and delivery of training for physicians and healthcare providers on obesity prevention counseling, community advocacy to create healthier food and physical activity environments, Body Mass Index (BMI) to assess obesity risk; patient education materials. Kaiser Permanente was an active partner, funder and technical assistance provider for HEAC, and is a co-funder and supporter of the California Convergence network.
Neighborhood Sector
PolicyLink www.policylink.org Assessing the environment for healthy eating and physical activity in neighborhoods, identifying policy goals, development of advocacy skills, technical assistance on neighborhood strategies, and linking coalitions to others working on similar issues. National research and action institute that advances social and economic equity. PolicyLink worked with HEAC communities to organize neighbors, and to develop strategies to increase access to healthy foods, and safe places to be physically active.
Public Health Law & Policy (PHLP)
www.phlpnet.org Building the capacity of organizations and agencies to advance public health goals. PHLP provided assistance to HEAC coalitions that helped them work with city planners and city planning processes, so that planning decisions shape their cities into environments that better support residents’ health.
Marketing and Advertising Sector
Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG) www.bmsg.org Advising on ways to reduce marketing and advertising by junk food companies. Also offers interactive media advocacy training and strategic consultation for community groups and public health professionals. HEAC communities learned from BMSG how to assess the amount of marketing of unhealthy foods youth targeted at young people, and how to do something to change this in schools, neighborhoods, and local businesses.
Youth Organizing
Center for Civic Participation and Youth Development www.californiacenter.org/ Programs and projects to educate young people in the public policy process and the current issues, so they can actively make a difference in the schools and in state and local government. Nonprofit, nonpartisan youth development organization.