Steps to a Healthier San Antonio

	Steps to a Healthier San Antonio
2004
The Steps to a HealthierUS 5-year cooperative agreement program funds States, cities, and tribal entities to implement chronic disease prevention efforts focused on reducing the burden of diabetes, overweight, obesity, and asthma and addressing three related risk factors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. For FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocated $13.6 million to fund 24 communities; in FY 2004, HHS allocated $35.8 million to increase funding to the existing 24 communities and to fund an additional 16, including San Antonio, for a total of 40 communities. Amount of Award $1 million. Project Area San Antonio Independent School District. Approximately 79 square miles (population about 316,000). Demographics of Project Area 92 schools, 57,462 students (85% Hispanic), and 3,659 classroom teachers. Target Population Residents within the San Antonio Independent School District and minority populations. Lead Agency San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Proposed Activities Media Create a culturally sensitive mass media campaign targeting youth and smoking behaviors. Policy Increase the number of businesses that adopt policies prohibiting smoking or limiting it to separately ventilated areas. School Increase the number of students with an asthma care plan. Establish Teens Against Tobacco groups in selected schools and neighborhoods. Offer continuing education opportunities for school nurses related to asthma management. Community Adapt the Freshstart Family secondhand smoke awareness intervention to be culturally sensitive to the target population. Partner with San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization to facilitate the planning, construction, and repair of infrastructure allowing for increased levels of safe cycling and pedestrian activity in the target area. Offer diabetes self-management training to patients and families. Workplace Use point-of-decision displays in workplace cafeterias to encourage increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Health Care Develop a standard of care with educational materials that assist health care professionals with decision making. Evaluation HHS will provide training and technical assistance to help each Steps community develop measurable program objectives and specific indicators of progress and use relevant data to support ongoing program improvement. HHS will also conduct a national evaluation of the entire program. Existing data sources, such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, will be used to identify and measure program outcomes and assess progress toward program goals. Community Partners American Cancer Society, San Antonio Mayor's Office, South Texas Asthma Coalition, Project Bienstar, American Lung Association, University Health System, Social and Health Research Center, Bexar County Community Health Collaborative, San Antonio Independent School District, Texas Diabetes Institute, San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization. San Antonio Steps Contact Fernando Guerra (210) 207-8731 fguerra@sanantonio.gov Return to Community Fact Sheets