Community health

Ohio

Community Health Initiative

Community Health Initiative (CHI) is a national Kaiser Permanente strategy for Community Benefit. Under the CHI model, each region focuses their community benefit efforts to a measurable geographic area for an extended period of time. The goal of the initiative is to engage the residents of that geographic area to impact the public policy and built environment to promote healthy eating and active living.

In Ohio, Ward 1 has been selected as the CHI neighborhood. A coalition of representatives from organizations serving the community has been formed to begin planning to engage the residents. In the coming months, we plan to use a variety of methods to directly involve the residents of Ward 1 in planning and implementing the activities of the initiative.

Steps to a Healthier Cleveland

Kaiser Permanente is a Steps to a Healthier Cleveland partner, joining forces with the Cleveland Department of Public Health and other local community-based and health care organizations to implement chronic disease prevention efforts. These efforts focus on reducing the risks of diabetes, obesity, and asthma. To do this, three related risk factors must be addressed — physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use.

In 2005, Kaiser Permanente helped support the creation of the Healthy Cleveland Business Council, a key Steps initiative. The Healthy Cleveland Business Council is a network of employers interested in connecting a healthy workforce and a healthy business plan. The Healthy Cleveland Business Council provides a forum for worksite wellness and the tools to build new steps to personal, community, and business development.

American Heart Association Community Partnership

In 2005, a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit Fund of the Cleveland Foundation was awarded to the American Heart Association's Partners in School Health program. Partners in School Health is a comprehensive health-related fitness education program developed by physical educators for physical educators.

In the 12 months since its inception, the program has been implemented in 20 schools in the Greater Cleveland School District. Each school has created its own “wellness team,” which administers “fitnessgram” tests to students. Fitnessgrams assess body composition, aerobic capacity, and muscular strength and endurance. To date, more than 1500 fourth and fifth graders have been tested.

Kaiser Permanente also serves as the exclusive provider of heart healthy screenings at the American Heart Walk in Cleveland, Akron, Lake/Geauga County, and Lorain County. These free screenings help attendees understand how they can work with their health care providers and make lifestyle changes to prevent chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Kaiser Permanente also supports the American Heart Association's Search Your Heart Program, a faith-based heart and stroke educational program.