Creating Sustainable Change in the City of La Mirada through Policy Adoption, Systems, and Environmental Change

The La Mirada Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change (A.C.H.I.E.V.E.) collaborative identified the need to increase physical activity opportunities, improve nutrition and increase the number of City venues with smoke free ordinances through policy, environment and system changes. In 2009, the A.C.H.I.E.V.E. collaborative conducted a needs assessment in the City of La Mirada utilizing an evidence based tool. This tool, which was provided by the CDC, allowed for a needs and assets assessment of the community's policies, systems and environments. Three areas of high vulnerability were identified with the tool and became the team's community action plan(CAP). They included increasing the number of planned physical activity in afterschool program sites; increasing the number of worksites in the City that made physical activity and healthy nutrition options available; and increasing the number of venues in the City covered by a 24/7 smoke-free policy. Results: Two additional parks have been added to the afterschool program, physical activity increased from 0 to 60 minutes, participants received 4 days of physical activity instruction and 1 day of healthy nutrition instruction. The City and Transit Department have been encouraged to adopt worksite wellness policies by March 2012. A smoke-free ordinance was developed and provided to the La Mirada City Council and will be voted by council before March 2012. Conclusion: A final evaluation will be conducted in March 2012. However, we have identified that our objectives are being reached and will likely be sustainable since they deal with policy, systems and environmental changes.