To foster healthy communities for all by advancing health equity and eliminating social barriers
Latest News
- Leveraging Evidence-based Practices to Design Systems and Communities that Promote Healthy Weight: In September 2022, the Center for Advancing Healthy Communities convened a Thought Leader Round Table to discuss the role of State and Territorial Health Department Chronic Disease Directors and other partners in designing systems and communities that promote healthy lifestyles. The meeting focused on proven strategies to enhance community design to increase active transportation; support the spread and scale of Family Healthy Weight Programs; and implement bold nutrition strategies around reducing consumption of added sugars, food service guidelines, and nutrition policy in early child care and education. Learn more about the recommendations that came out of this meeting to accelerate health promotion efforts in your community!
- NACDD is supporting its Members and partners with tools, resources, and training and technical assistance to impact change in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The National Strategy outlines the collaborative action needed across all levels and sectors to achieve the Administration’s goal of ending hunger in America and increasing healthy eating and physical activity by 2030. Learn more and get connected to NACDD’s learning and discussion opportunities!
- Read the Press Release: NACDD Launches Center for Advancing Healthy Communities
About the Center
The Center for Advancing Healthy Communities (CAHC) supports state, local and territory-based programs and consists of several programs and teams that focus in the areas of food and nutrition security, physical activity and built environment, tobacco cessation, obesity, social connectedness, chronic disease-related mental health, and equity/social justice.
The Center builds upon successful NACDD-led projects such as the Walkability Action Institute, Building Resilient Inclusive Communities, Worksite Wellness, and more.
CAHC provides technical assistance and training for program implementation while expanding capabilities and resources, promoting healthful policy and environmental change, and collaborating to foster mutually beneficial partnerships.
CAHC Team
- Center Vice President: Alice “Ali” Jaglowski, MSH
- Director: Vishwarupa (Vish) Vasani, MPH
- Associate Directors:
- Heidi Milby, MPH
- Rita Nahta, PhD, MPH
- Program Teams:
- Arthritis: Heather Murphy; Lisa Erck, MS; Julia Chevan, PT, PhD, MPH
- Building Resilient Inclusive Communities (BRIC) program: Mara Galic, MHSc, RD; Joann Donnelly, MA, BCC, CSM; and Leah Rimkus, MPH, RD;Ā
- Healthy Military Communities: Catherine McCann, PhD, MSPH
- Public Health AmeriCorps: Tierney Thomison, MPH
- Scaling the National Diabetes Prevention Program: Mari Brick, MA; Katherine “Katie” Cacal, MPH
- School Health: Heidi Milby, MPH; Ashley Krombach
- State Partnerships Improving Nutrition and Equity (SPINE) program: Charita James, MS, RD
- Tobacco Use Prevention and Control: Rita Nahta, PhD, MPH; Katherine Stone, MPH; Katherine (Katie) Cacal, MPH
- Worksite Wellness: Lisa Erck, MS and Laura DeStigter, MPH
- Walkability Action Institutes (WAI): Karma Harris, MSPH
Where you live matters. Access to healthy living opportunities should be available regardless of where you live.
For more information or questions, emailĀ CAHCinfo@chronicdisease.org