Establishing partnerships between universities and communities to address childhood obesity

Establishing partnerships between universities and community leaders is vital to promote healthy communities. Without the proper support from the community, programs designed to promote healthy living environments will not be successful or sustainable. This presentation will address the ongoing partnership between the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Public Health (CPH), the UGA Archway Partnership, and the rural community of Colquitt County in southern Georgia. With its creation in 2005, UGA began repurposing the traditional land-grant university agricultural extension model to address a wider range of concerns faced by communities through the Archway Partnership. For those communities where health is a top priority, collaboration between the CPH and the Archway Partnership has led to the placement of a Public Health Professional who oversees community-based health initiatives and the formation of a community committee that directs health activities. Community members of the Healthy Colquitt Coalition include representation from the YMCA, United Way, county schools, higher education institutions, regional medical centers, Chamber of Commerce, and the county health department. The Healthy Colquitt Coalition has been instrumental in numerous community wide initiatives such as renovating an old rail system to a walking trail and bringing in farmer's markets. Currently, the partnership between the CPH, Archway, and Colquitt County has been engaged in the development of a community-based participatory intervention to address the problem of childhood obesity. This presentation will describe how these partnerships were established, the role that each partner plays and their importance, the current work being conducted, and future plans.