New Approaches to Addressing Obesity: Re-Organization Implications and Lessons Learned by the San Joaquin Valley County Departments In California

The escalating rates of chronic diseases present a new challenge for public health departments. In response to this challenge public health departments are evolving and under-going a paradigm shift in their role in prevention. Within central California six public health departments have joined together to build their capacity to respond to the obesity epidemic through the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROPP). CCROPP is a program to improve social and physical environments for healthy nutrition and physical activity through policy advocacy and system change in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties. CCROPP is an example of the innovative collaboration necessary by public health departments to address obesity and other chronic diseases by crossing borders both geographically and across disciplines. By working collaboratively across the region they have been able to draw down and maximize external funding. They have also built their capacity to address the obesity epidemic by fostering partnerships with community based organizations city planners, schools, park and recreation officials, grocery stores, and others along with grassroots community members. The project functions in collaboration with California State University, Fresno and is funded by The California Endowment. In this presentation valuable lessons learned will be shared with other public health departments wanting to learn new approaches for addressing the impact of the environment on chronic diseases and policy implications.