Healthy Communities Fund

The Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport funds the Healthy Communities project via the Healthy Communities Fund (HCF) which helps the Ministry achieve its vision of Healthy Communities working together and Ontarians leading healthy and active lives. The Healthy Communities Fund provides support through a Grants Project Stream, a Partnership Stream and a Resource Stream.

The goals of the Healthy Communities Fund are to:

• create a culture of health and well-being,
• build healthy communities through coordinated action, 
• create policies and programs that make it easier for Ontarians to be health, and
• enhance the capacity of community leaders to work together on healthy living.

 Key Stakeholders, Community Consultations, and Recommended Actions

Physical Activity, Sport, and Recreation
On January 6th, 2011, a Physical Activity, Sport, and Recreation Planning day was held to identify, discuss, and propose priorities. Participants included representatives from Queen’s University, KFL&A Public Health, the Seniors Associations Kingston Region, the Heart and Stroke Foundation Kingston, the City of Kingston, Cycle Kingston, Sustainable Kingston, Boys and Girls Club of Kingston and Area, Kingston Gets Active, St. Lawrence College, the YMCA, and various retired and current educators and athletes. Recommendations from this planning day include:

1. Establish a “hub.
2. Use existing Master Plans for planning.
3. Advocate for Ministry of Education policies that emphasize physical activity across the curriculum.
4. Address groups at risk for physical activity.

Injury Prevention
On January 13th, 2011, an Injury Prevention Planning Day was held to discuss goals and priorities. Participants included community members from KFL&A Public Health, the Ministry of Transportation, Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions, Kingston and Region Injury Surveillance Program, Cycle Kingston, Think First, Kingston Partners for a Safe Community, Ontario Power Generation, and Kingston Fire and Rescue. Recommendations developed from this planning day include:

1. Develop new positive messaging and communication.
2. Create supportive environments.
3. Make injury prevention education mandatory in schools.
4. Develop policies for clear communications, implementation, expectations, and decisions.

Healthy Eating
Kingston and area are home to a variety of networks and organizations that are engaged in the issue of food access. KFL&A Public Health invited many of these food system leaders to engage in conversations on healthy eating priorities in programming and policy. Conversations have occurred in December 2010, January and February 2011. Over thirty people have been involved in representing municipal staff, farmers, health agencies, education, gardeners, farmers markets, restaurants, institutions, meal programs, food justice advocates, politicians, researchers, educators, universities and community organizations. Participants have voiced the need to offer broad support to enable our communities to have access to healthier foods. Food initiatives must be inclusive of and consider all factors that affect people’s access to food. These conversations will continue on a monthly basis, allowing for group(s) to coalesce and begin working towards policy that impacts the broader community. The Healthy Eating Working group has identified the following priorities:

1. Create a Food Charter – this will inform the development of healthy eating policies.
2. Create a food coalition/council to support municipal healthy eating policies.
3. Create a network for groups providing similar programs and services to share information and resources.

Tobacco Use/Exposure
KFL&A Public Health has been very active in tobacco control initiatives for many years and has worked with representatives from business, education, health, government and recreation. Three of ten policy areas are:

1. Advocate for Tobacco-Free Sports & Recreation (TFSR) spaces. This includes Play, Live, Be Tobacco-free, Smoke-Free Outdoor Spaces including parks and building entrances.
2. Reduce the sale and promotion of tobacco in municipalities.
3. Advocate for Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Dwellings (MUDs) including private for-profit MUDs and social housing.

Substance and Alcohol Misuse
Over the last 13 years, the Greater Kingston Area Safe & Sober Community Alliance (Alliance) has established strong partnerships with more than 32 organizations ranging from health, education, addictions, enforcement, business and not-for-profit groups. In September 2008 a visioning day was held to guide future planning. The Alliance met again to restructure and prioritize community actions to reduce alcohol-related harm. A newly formed Alcohol Strategy working group drafted an operational plan for 2010-2011. Priorities include:

1. Compile an Alcohol Report for KFL&A identifying the scope of alcohol-related harm.
2. Facilitate knowledge exchange in the area of alcohol policy and supportive environments with Alliance partners and community stakeholders to ensure evidence-informed community action.

Mental Health Promotion
A KFL&A Public Health representative sits on the KFL&A Children and Youth Services Steering Committee which held focus groups in January 2011 to discuss issues, challenges, opportunities and priorities for this area. KFL&A Public Health is also linked with Integration with Education and will consult with this group on mental health promotion priorities. The Community Forum on March 1, 2011 will provide an opportunity to expanded on priorities in the area of mental health promotion and receive more feedback on this topic. Priorities include:

1. Develop an engagement strategy for service providers, parents, and youth.
2. Find ways to assist youth in accessing services.
3. Advocate for youth housing.

Make a splash or just a ripple! Your participation in the partnership at an event, or a message of support is appreciated.