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Alameda County Building Blocks Collaborative

Alameda County Building Blocks Collaborative. Housing. Childcare. Medical Care. Jobs. Healthy Food. Building Blocks: We each have a role. Clean Air. Parks and Activities. Policy Makers. Education. Economic Justice. Preschool. Safe Neighbor-hoods. Residents. Transportation.

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Alameda County Building Blocks Collaborative

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  1. Alameda County Building Blocks Collaborative

  2. Housing Childcare Medical Care Jobs Healthy Food Building Blocks: We each have a role Clean Air Parks and Activities Policy Makers Education Economic Justice Preschool Safe Neighbor-hoods Residents Transportation

  3. All Children Deserve the Best Start in Life We Believe…

  4. 1 in 3 newborns start life in poverty Source: CAPE with vital statistics data, 2006

  5. What is the Building Blocks Collaborative (BBC)? 7000 infants born in poverty each year in Alameda County What are the structural conditions that result in health inequities? What we’ve been doing separately has not been enough. A multi-sector partnership of organizations working together to create equitable community conditions that support well-being from the earliest stages of life. Underpinning our work is the Life Course Perspective Convened by the Alameda County Public Health Department

  6. Building Blocks Collaborative:Statement of Purpose In response to inequities in health, wealth, and education that limit the ability of Alameda County children to all realize their potential, Together we will ensure a sustainable multi-sector commitment to improved overall well-being for communities and the people who live in them, from the earliest stage and throughout all stages of life.

  7. Bill of Rights be believed in live, play and grow in a clean, safe place receive a quality education be loved by a caring adult eat healthy food explore nature enjoy economic opportunity and financial security access health care that promotes well-being be free from discrimination and violence be included & valued by a supportive community All children in Alameda County have a right to be born healthy, and to: Building Blocks Collaborative, April 2010

  8. Context: Why we exist

  9. Health ≠ Health Care Health Care Inequities Health Inequities >

  10. Health starts where we live, learn, work, and play

  11. Place Matters…

  12. 7.8 years 4.9 years 2.3 years …Race and Racism Matters…

  13. …and Income Matters.

  14. The Problem:What we’ve been doing separately isn’t making enough of a difference

  15. Top 30 Census Tracts Receiving Public Health Services

  16. Top 30 Census Tracts Receiving Social Services

  17. Top 30 Census Tracts Receiving Parole Services

  18. Top 30 Census Tracts Receiving Probation Services

  19. 13 Census Tracts With the Highest Concentration of Services…

  20. …Are where we see the lowest life expectancy.

  21. Your neighborhood or job shouldn’t be hazardous to your health Physical and Mental Health Impacts No fresh food nearby Bus doesn’t come; late to school Discrimination Stress Stress Stress YMCA summer program full – nothing to do Mold found in house Stress Stress Stress Stress Stress Not enough textbooks this year Drug dealers live next door Poor air quality – gets asthma

  22. vs. Stressed Out Stressed • Stressed = Protective • Increased cardiac output • Increased available glucose • Enhanced immune functions • Growth of neurons in hippocampus & prefrontal cortex • Stressed Out = Toxic • Hypertension & cardiovascular diseases • Glucose intolerance & insulin resistance • Infection & inflammation • Atrophy & death of neurons in hippocampus &prefrontal cortex

  23. How inequities get into the body:The Life Course Perspective • How do “place” and opportunity impact your health? • “toxic” stress can wreak havoc in the body. Research shows: • 1. Experiences during critical times in development can have an impact much later in life. • Not just health –education, community, physical environment, economic environment all play a role • Pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, early childhood, adolescence • 2. Impacts of these experiences accumulate to determine your health.

  24. ...and transfer through generations

  25. Health Equity Everyone in Alameda County, no matter where you live, how much money you make, or the color of your skin, has access to the same opportunities to lead a healthy, fulfilling and productive life.

  26. The Solution: Working Together to Develop New Strategies

  27. The groundwork for good health requires the contributions of many sectors • ECONOMICS • Neighborhood poverty = lower early school readiness and poorer long-term academic attainment. • Family savings of as little as $3,000 = higher odds of high school graduation. • A 1% increase in wealth = a 5% boost to a young man’s chance of escaping a low-wage job. • EDUCATION • Knowledge of the alphabet at the end of kindergarten = higher SAT scores. • Mothers’ college education = a child twice as likely to recognize letters in kindergarten (vs. Mother’s HS graduation) • PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT • Experience in the wilderness = higher grades • HEALTH • Being born healthy weight = healthy physical, social, and intellectual development. • Low birth weight = heightened risks for problems in school as early as kindergarten. • COMMUNITY • More social support = better health • Neighborhood education = higher life expectancy

  28. Building Blocks Collaborative:We Each Have a Role

  29. Building Blocks Collaborative:Launched in September 2009 • Key Objectives: • Develop shared vision for diverse partners • Apply the Life Course Perspective in our daily work • On-going collaborative action • Planning Framework

  30. Building Blocks Collaborative:Very committed, diverse organizations First 5 Alameda County, East Bay Regional Parks District, Mandela Marketplace, Museum of Children’s Art, Oakland Housing Authority, Berkeley Food & Housing Project, Interactive Parenting Media, Urban Strategies Council, Community Financial Resources, Brighter Beginnings, Lotus Bloom Family Resource Center, Girls, Inc. of Alameda County, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland Unified School District, Alameda Health Consortium, Youth Uprising, Lifelong Medical Care, Safe Passages, Oakland Children’s Hospital & Research Center, Centering Pregnancy, Alameda County Sheriff Department, Oakland Parks & Recreation, City of Oakland, Head Start Program, Attitudinal Healing Connection, Operation Hope, People’s Grocery, Alameda County Child Care Department, Board of Supervisors; East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, California Family Health Council, Alameda County Juvenile Probation Services, Hayward Recreation, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, Lucille Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Alameda County Community Development, PolicyLink, Eden Family Services, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, The Link to Children, West Oakland Health Center, Alameda County Public Health Commission, Contra Costa Health Services, Alameda County Community Food Bank…and growing! Full group meetings monthly – rotating sites What can we do together with the resources we have?

  31. BBC Leadership Steering Committee is composed of ACPHD staff and partners involved in the Building Blocks Collaborative. Open meetings are held monthly. Members from multiple sectors Lisa Forti (Urban Strategies, Alameda County Community Asset Network) Barbara McCullough (Brighter Beginnings) Dana Harvey (Mandela Marketplace) Elizabeth Hales (East Bay Regional Parks District) Aeeshah Clottey (Attitudinal Healing) Anita Siegel (ACPHD) Kiko Malin (ACPHD) Marge Deichman (ACPHD)

  32. BBC Strategy AreasIdentified January 2011 The Building Blocks Collaborative will engage community members, leaders, and organizations to improve health over a lifetime. We will we will leverage our partnerships, resources, and networks in the following areas: • Healthy Food • Healthy Economy • Healthy Youth and Families

  33. BBC Focus Communities: West Oakland & Ashland-Cherryland

  34. Developing Community ProjectsParameters Suggested By Steering CommitteeBBC Projects will: Have a clear link(s) to the Bill of Rights Be sustainable and build capacity Work toward systems change Provide opportunity for broad buy-in and involvement for community and BBC (driven by community need; building on BBC partner strengths) Be achievable, with greatest likelihood of demonstrating success

  35. Projects: Food to Families • Youth-led businesses improve the healthy food environment in West Oakland and Ashland-Cherryland • Mandela Marketplace youth stocking corner stores with produce • Dig Deep Farms youth grow produce and distribute food boxes • Local health centers write healthy food “prescriptions” to refer pregnant women to these resources, and provide healthy eating education • Addresses Bill of Right #1: Be Believed In, #5: Eat Healthy Food, #7 Enjoy Economic Opportunity and Financial Security • Launched January 2011; Funded by Kresge Foundation

  36. Why Food to Families? Based on expressed community need, existing momentum, and BBC strengths Meets families’ immediate needs while also working to improve community food landscape Creates jobs and keeps money in our communities – which impacts health! Leverages trusted health provider relationship through written prescriptions Innovative partnerships

  37. Projects: BBC Healthy Eating, Active Living Project • Brighter Beginnings provides parenting teens with Food Smarts nutrition education • Niroga Institute provides pregnant women with tranformative life skills – yoga, breathing, meditation • Funded by Kaiser Permanente Southern Alameda County

  38. Projects: Alameda County Prosperity Project The issue: If 10% of West Oakland residents (2000 people) Borrow $500 using a Payday Loan and it costs them $675 in interest that’s $1,350,000being leached from West Oakland. The Collaborative: ACPHD (Place Matters Local Policy Initiative, Life Course Initiative), Alameda County Community Asset Network, and Base Building Organizations The solution: The Prosperity Project will: Advance policies to expand non-predatory financial services in underserved neighborhoods Raise awareness about fair financial products and sound banking practices Integrate financial empowerment curriculum into existing health programs (Family Health Services pilot) Launched October 2011 Funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

  39. Why Prosperity Project? Meets families’ needs and works to improve community financial landscape Increases availability of healthy financial products Keeps money in our communities – which impacts health! Leverages trusted health provider relationship for financial education Creates innovative partnerships

  40. Building Blocks Collaborative Key Values Health Equity through a Life Course Perspective Racism, Classism, “Place-ism” Every voice is important, each member can see their role Each sector brings important expertise Not exclusively tied to a health outcome Transparency & shared ownership Systems Change How can we work differently using the resources we have ACPHD Strategic Plan & Life Course Systems Design Committee

  41. Many seeds have been planted through the work of this collaborative…What BBC seeds have taken root? “Observing deep and amazing connections and collaborations within a multitude of agencies.” “Growing relationships. The BBC has given me the opportunity to meet and come to know so many people representing so many opportunities to enrich and set the right course for our children, their families, and the community.” “Rich dialogue that bridges individual/family needs with changing/broader community conditions.” “Life Course Bill of Rights brought a broader purpose to our work.” September 2010

  42. Thank you! Bina Shrimali, MPH Life Course Initiative – Building Blocks Coordinator bina.shrimali@acgov.org (510) 268-7078 http://buildingblocksalamedacounty.wordpress.com

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