Let's be active!

Create communities that are denser and more connected and livable, incorporating mixed-use neighborhoods, safety, walkability and access to schools and other positive destinations and healthy food options.

1. Provide resources, technical assistance and education to the community on policy, environmental and systems changes.
2. Create master community, park and recreational facility plans that encourage physical activity.
3. Create master pedestrian and bike plans at community level that connect to AR State Highway Dept. Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
4. Develop plans and policies to create public spaces for people using all forms of mobility (wheelchair, stroller, bicycle, etc.).

Encourage design principles that support healthy roadways and streets.

1. Promote grassroots support of Complete Streets principles in every community across Arkansas.
2. Work with city, county and other planners to incorporate increased Connectivity Index Scores into relevant policies and regulations.

Complete Streets series:

1. Overview
2. Health and Wellness
3. Economic Development and Tourism
4. Equality
5. Healthy Children

Ensure the built environment supports access to sources of healthy foods.

1. Conduct walkability assessments that identify access to sources of healthy foods.
2. Support zoning legislation that increases access to healthy foods (e.g. community gardens, groceries, restaurants.)

Increase formal joint-use agreements between communities and organizations such as schools and faith-based organizations to provide access to physical activity areas.

1. Increase awareness of joint-use agreements with schools, faith-based organizations, etc. and potential partners.
2. Increase number of school districts with policies supportive of joint-use agreements.
3. Provide model joint-use policies to communities, schools, faith-based organizations and others.

State, county and local policy makers will create incentives to encourage denser, more walkable communities and multi-use developments.

1. Create a statewide award similar to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification or Active Community Environments (ACE) philosophy that is based on healthy community “livability.”

Create a shared community vision to develop and improve livability and economic vitality.

1. Use focus groups, needs assessments and town hall meetings to identify shared values.
2. Create an action plan based on shared values.
3.  Market the shared vision of the community.

Create an environment that complies with appropriate physical activity federal standards.

1. Comply with federal guidelines for physical activity.
2. Research and recommend a state-level system of measurement for physical activity.
3. Provide a menu of activity that demonstrates how federal guidelines for physical activity can realistically be achieved.

Create a mindset that promotes lifelong physical activity.

1. Promote activities that have continuity into adulthood.
2. Create opportunities for inter-generational physical activity (kids should see the adults in the environment as well as teachers, administrators and parents).
3. Link physical education and activity with the community through joint use agreements.
4. Promote activities that encourage students to walk or bike safely to school. (e.g. walking school bus, bike education programs, etc.)

Integrate physical activity with learning.

1. Integrate physical activity strategies into the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks.

Help employers establish effective wellness programs for their worksites.

1. Collect and use evidence-based best practices.
2. Develop a communication plan to reach and enlist decision-makers, leaders, stakeholders and worksite champions.
3. Advocate for tax incentives, insurance premium reductions, etc. for employers.
4. Advocate for and implement employee incentives.

Help employers reduce the health care costs of obesity-related conditions.

1. Measure the level of obesity-related chronic conditions at worksites.
2. Educate employees on chronic conditions, prevention, and treatment options.
3. Employers and insurers provide support programs for obesity related chronic conditions internally or through outreach.
4. Implement worksite wellness policies or formal written agreements to decrease obesity-related chronic conditions.
5. Encourage individual employers to adopt Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities.
6. Provide employers with model policies around other wellness topics.

Create a more effective worksite by educating employers about the business case for worksite wellness.

1. Work to compile, analyze, and use health trend data such as medical and pharmacy costs, short and long-term disability, absenteeism, etc.
2. Compile and share success stories from Arkansas employers that have realized a positive ROI from their worksite wellness initiatives.

Increase the number of worksite wellness programs and employee participation in those programs.

1. Establish a statewide healthy employer recognition system.
2. Develop a web-based tracking system to collect and share aggregate employer and employee wellness participation data.
3. Use data collected to tailor a worksite wellness program to a specific worksite guided by external vendors such as: state and local government agencies, non-profits, insurance companies, employee assistance companies and wellness vendors