Health assessments: the key to unlocking funds? How to use health assessments to push for increased local funding and federal support.

Your park and recreation department could find the key to unlocking the tight budgets of your community by making a few phone calls. Today, many local health departments are evaluating their communities' quality of life related to health, through assessments. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labels these evaluations HRQOL's (Health Related Quality Of Life), most health departments use some form of these measurements to identity populations most hurt by chronic disease, to strengthen health promotion and to support environmental and policy changes.

The CDC usually tracks these HRQOL outcomes on the state or county level through the Healthy Day's initiative, and the results are helping to reinforce the call to Americans for active lifestyles.

James Marks, director of Prevention and Health Promotion for CDC, stated in a recent issue of "Chronic Disease Notes and Reports," "It is about time we as a society recognize and begin to keep score of this fundamental component of health (Quality of life)." Local park and recreation agencies can strengthen their argument for access to active resources, by utilizing results from local health departments' community health assessments. If a community's health department isn't tracking these outcomes, now is the time to work with them to do so.

Using the quality of life assessment data locally and nationally can advance the case for more investment in active recreation resources and programs. Combining local quality of life needs and results, current data on a community's access to public recreation, and national trends and reports of obesity and physical inactivity has the potential to be where the ground level indicators and the national level proof meets. This convergence of evidence could create the much needed "tipping point" for an outpouring of federal investment to prevent the fastest growing epidemic in America.

On the local level, the data could initiate a concerted effort to direct funds for accessible active recreation resources. On the national level, it gives legislators a clear picture of how national trends are hitting home. This detailed district information can prompt them not only to address the issue, but help them decide bow they should address the issue.

Unfortunately, Congress has not tackled the issue of Americans' lack of motivation and opportunity to be physically active. Legislative bills have been proposed and ideas have been exchanged, and although we have seen verbal attention, no substantive action has been completed. Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) IMPACT bill, which passed the senate in December 2003, would have provided grants to local health departments allowing them to work with other community agencies in developing physical activity programming. However, House Energy and Commerce Committee leadership, and White House opposition to the authorization of new grant programs, quickly squelched the momentum for a House version of the bill, proposed by Rep. Mary Bono (R-Calif.). The bill still sits in committee waiting to be considered.

National conferences on obesity and physical inactivity are numbering at least two to three a month, and the Bush Administration encouraging initiatives like "Get Fit With Us" in Minneapolis, Minn., which highlights state and local success stories and links active recreation with improving our nation's health. In an election year, this has all the hints of being a priority issue.

Fiscally concerned legislators will not jump onboard to support programming for health issues unless they see community and anecdotal evidence that shows a need for active recreation. Keeping the spotlight on these health issues in local elections this November, and fighting for resources to combat these problems can help prompt federal legislators to address physical inactivity. Community health assessments are useful tools to make this national issue become local, and making access to include public active recreation resources as part of the solution.

To find out if your own community conducts health assessments, contact your local health departments. If they aren't keeping these types of records, work with them to start tracking health needs, and link that to parks and recreation. You can also check the CDC to find out if there are assessments available for your state.

Michael Phillips is the NRPA Public Policy Outreach Coordinator and can be reached at [phone].