West Virginia and Virginia both participated in a State Engagement Model (StEM) meeting in October to support and enhance efforts in their respective states to advance healthy living and continue to build on previously developed physical activity and nutrition program efforts. 

Through the State Engagement Model, participants from each state’s chronic disease programs—Jessica Wright, RN, MPH, CHES, the director for the Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease  in the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health and Melicent Miller, MSPH, Health Improvement Supervisor for the Virginia Department of Health—convened members of their departments and other state partners to plan and implement the StEM meetings. 

Working toward a collective impact process, the state teams were provided with support to assist them in implementing a strategic approach to connect state and local partners on the selected state priority.  In West Virginia, partners worked to develop a shared action plan to promote a state recognition program for healthy communities.  Virginia stakeholders worked to further advance and provide a technical assistance and a supportive environment for active transportation.  

The meetings opened with presentations by national leaders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity as well as leaders in Active Transportation. The state leaders provided an overview of the local landscape before participants moved into smaller work groups to engage in a deeper conversation to develop the action plans. 

NACDD is  providing technical support to implement the action plan over the coming months.