A group of local foundations is taking the next steps for promoting a healthier Mahoning Valley.
The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, along with William Swanston Charitable Fund, the Western Reserve Health Foundation and the Trumbull Memorial Health Foundation, will present “Innovations 2018 – Collaborating for a Healthier Mahoning Valley” on Thursday, Jan. 18 at the Jewish Community Center in Youngstown. The one-day health conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The conference’s keynote speaker will be Natalie S. Burke, president and CEO of CommonHealth ACTION, who will speak on “Embracing Collective Discomfort.”
The conference is designed to explore ways that residents, policy makers, educators, and community, business and nonprofit leaders can collaborate to improve health in the region. Sponsoring organizations have invited a broad range of local leaders in the areas of public health, health care, business, government and education.
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, recently ranked Mahoning County 71 out of 88 counties in Ohio for health outcomes that include length of life and quality of life. Trumbull County ranked 61.
After last year’s conference, 14 participating organizations decided to take a broader look at community health. The working group that resulted – the Healthy Community Partnership – is comprised of representatives from health care, community development, and the Mahoning and Trumbull county health commissions.
“We’ve really focused in on chronic-disease rates,” said Casey Krell, director of Supporting Organizations and Donor Services for the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley. “We [the Healthy Community Partnership] recognize there are many issues in the community – the opiate epidemic, infant mortality. But it’s shocking to see how chronic disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the state of Ohio and that these issues are often very preventable and manageable. And we look at where high rates of chronic disease occurrence are, and it’s often in neighborhoods that have less access to opportunities to make healthy choices, so in food deserts and places where there aren’t parks and green spaces for people to be active.”
“We feel that chronic disease is really one of the main issues, and then even taking a step further – looking at poor nutrition and physical inactivity. We really believe strongly that those are two of the most-pressing issues in the Mahoning Valley,” Krell said.
This year’s conference will focus on creating access to healthy, affordable food and safe, suitable surroundings that promote a healthy lifestyle. The conference will also emphasize working collaboratively and making the transition from awareness to action. Following the conference, attendees will be encouraged to join the Healthy Community Partnership.
“The 2016 Innovations conference focused primarily on creating awareness around important health issues and determinants,” said Shari Harrell, Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley president. “In the months that followed, we worked closely with our community partners to develop capacity, process and leadership – all necessary elements for effective collaboration. Now, this year’s conference is all about bringing our community together to discover ways that we can effectively collaborate – and to build the essential skills and tools to help us improve health for all residents.”
Innovations Conference 2018: Collaborating for a Healthier Mahoning Valley
• 8-8:30 a.m. – Registration and continental breakfast.
• 8:30-8:45 a.m. – Welcome, overview of “Innovations 2018” – Shari Harrell, president, Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.
• 8:45-10 a.m. – Keynote address – “Embracing Collaborative Discomfort.” – Natalie S. Burke, president and CEO, CommonHealth ACTION. Burke will discuss the foundational tools necessary for successful collaboration – readiness, common language, introspection, relationships, equity, and discomfort.
• 10-10:15 a.m. – break.
• 10:15-11 a.m. – Session 1 – “From Awareness to Action: Developing a Healthy Community Partnership.” Patricia Sweeney, health commissioner, Mahoning County District Board of Health; and Frank Migliozzi, health commissioner, Trumbull County Combined Health District. Having a shared commitment to a healthier Mahoning Valley is the first step, but how do we ensure the Mahoning Valley can effectively collaborate for change? This session covers the development of the Healthy Community Partnership and its goal in combating two of the most-pressing issues impacting the health of Mahoning Valley residents – access to healthy, affordable food, and having safe and suitable surroundings that promote an active lifestyle.
• 11 a.m.-noon – Session 2 – “Walk! Bike! Ride!” David Shipps, AICP, Ohio Office Director, Toole Design Group. This interactive session will examine how walking or bicycling can increase physical activity and create a healthier, more connected community. Attendees will explore various tools and strategies for encouraging “active transportation” (walking and cycling) in the Mahoning Valley.
• Noon-12:45 p.m. – Networking Lunch. Connections to Grant-making and Adult Recess.
• 12:45-1:45 p.m. – Session 3 – “Healthy Food Retail: Improving the Availability of Healthy Food in Retail Settings.” Ann Stahlheber, grant program manager, Prevention & Wellness & Healthy Communities, Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Stahlheber will describe how Cleveland is working to ensure that healthy foods are in corner and convenience stores and how Cleveland is supporting new grocery stores opening in underserved communities.
• 1:45-2:45 p.m. – Session 4 – “A Place to Play: How Parks and Green Spaces Can Improve Public Health.” Panel: April Mendez, president, Fresh Coast Communities; Ian Beniston, executive director, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation; Matt Martin, executive director, Trumbull Neighborhood Development; and Tiffany Graham, project director, LAND studio. Moderator: Chris Thompson, president, Civic Collaboration Consultants, LLC. How can communities increase physical activity and encourage children and adults to better utilize parks and green spaces in their neighborhoods? How can they ensure that everyone has adequate spaces in their community in which to be active? This roundtable will discuss strategies for improving usage and developing new spaces, as well as highlighting successful projects in the Mahoning Valley and Northeast Ohio.
• 2:45-3 p.m. – Call to action and closing remarks.
CONTACT INFORMATION – For more information on the conference, visit www.cfmv.org…, or call the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley at 330-743-5555. Breakfast and lunch are provided to all attendees. The registration fee is $20 per person and $15 for each additional registrant from the same organization.
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