Wellness & Chronic Disease

Priority Area 2: Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Behavior

2020-2023 ACTION STEPS

To reduce chronic disease, and reduce harmful childhood conditions, the following objectives are
recommended.

To increase access to healthy food:
1. Establish a food pantry site in the 5th or 6th Ward of the City of Lima.
2. Pilot, implement, and sustain a Green Prescription program within the community that serves at least 100 residents.
3. Increase the unique number of residents using SNAP/EBT at local farmer’s markets by 10% each year, and increase the average annual sales produced by vendors at the Lima Farmer’s market by 5% each year.

To increase active living:
4. Increase or enhance by 6 the number of policies, systems, or environmental changes to support active transportation as recommended in the Allen County Active Transportation Plan.

To reduce tobacco use:
5. Provide local cessation services to at least 300 residents.
6. Increase by 3 the number of tobacco free city and county parks/public spaces.
7. Decrease the percentage of Allen County youth using vaping products by 2%.

To reduce harmful childhood conditions:
8. Increase the medication adherence of children diagnosed by asthma by 5%.
9. Increase the number of Allen County children ages 0-2 who are tested for toxic levels of lead by 5%.
10. Increase the number of children (Mercy and Lima Memorial physician practices) receiving at least 1 annual well-child visit by 5%.

To create environments that support healthy living:
11. Increase by 25% the number of residents participating in Activated Challenges.

SUCCESSES

The Allen County Food Policy Council was established in 2014.
The Downtown Lima Farmer’s Market was brought back in the Summer of 2015 after not being available for multiple years. This market allows for local growers and produces to sell their products in Downtown Lima and increases the access to fresh and local food choices to residents. In the 2018 season, SNAP/EBT was added and produce sales, number of vendors and number of participants are steadily increasing each year.
LACNIP continues to grow the community garden program. From 2016-2017, there was a 50% increase in the number of active community gardens.
Over 5000 employees in 24 Allen County workplaces are participating in and benefiting from the Activated Business Challenge.
Three school districts have implemented safer walking and biking routes to school, Two school districts implemented 100% tobacco free policies.
11 schools have been supported through the Activated School Challenge, impacting over 8000 Allen County students.
20 restaurants are taking part in our Active Menu Challenge and offering labeled healthy options for customers to choose.
Lima SPROUTS (Sustained Production on Urban Tracts) was developed to explore the ability to train entrepreneurs in urban farming and pilot utilizing vacant lands in Lima to grow crops and potentially turn urban farming into a sustainable business. This is an extension of the LACNIP programs already in place.
The Lima SPROUTS piloted Lima’s own CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, where residents could purchase weekly produce boxes from our SPROUTS entrepreneurs and increase their intake of local, healthy foods while supporting our local farmers.
Through an award from the Ohio Department of Transportation, 8 local law enforcement officers were trained on “Enforcement for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety” in order to continue to increase our efforts around safe walking and biking commutes for community residents.

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GET ENGAGED

Support local businesses and farmer’s markets selling fresh produce.
Work to Activate your child’s school or preschool, your workplace and your favorite restaurant by telling them about the programs they can join for free.
JOIN a workgroup listed above to assist in continuing the work around wellness and disease prevention in Allen County.
Sign up for our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program by visiting the Lima SPROUTS website: www.limasprouts.com.
Support policies that protect people from secondhand smoke such as tobacco free workplaces and public spaces (ie. parks).