According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 20 percent of American adults meet the minimum physical activity guidelines. The lack of regular physical activity can lead to the onset of many chronic diseases, some cancers, poor academic and job performance, and even early death. In many cases, place of living impacts health, including how a community’s built infrastructure and environment fosters access to: the opportunity to eat healthy food and be physically active; safe pedestrian transportation such as walking or biking. Community design can influence local community development and the economy. The problem areas, outlined above, were detailed in the 2015 release of the United States Surgeon General’s “Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities.” 

Since release of the report, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) has implemented the Walkability Action Institute (WAI) through funds provided by the CDC Division of Nutrition Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO). During the last three years, states and communities have learned through WAI about methods of designing communities that yield healthier, more walkable, and active communities. For the fourth consecutive year, NACDD will manage a competitive request for funding assistance (RFA), where interested cross-disciplinary, MPO-level teams (or other similar regional entities) can apply for travel assistance and selection to attend this year’s course. Specifically:

• Applicants must commit to accomplish all project activities and deliverables as part of course participation;
• Applicants must establish an interdisciplinary team of four-to-six team members;
  
  • Four of these team members must represent the required fields of public health, planning, transportation, and elected officials and
  • Applicant teams may have up to two additional team members representative of other stakeholder disciplines.
• NACDD will select up to eight teams to attend this year’s course, and these participants will enjoy hands-on outdoor learning activities, along with cutting edge presentations from some of the nation’s leading experts.
• This year’s WAI course will be offered April 9-12, 2018, in Decatur (Atlanta), Georgia. 

Stay tuned to NACDD’s website for the RFA, which will be posted on Oct. 30. Selected communities will benefit from the opportunity to attend WAI. It is a course experience not to be missed! Please share this information with your partners and colleagues in every state.

For more information or questions on the 2018 Walkability Action Institute, please contact Karma Harris at kedwards@chronicdisease.org.