About

Creating Healthy Communities (CHC)

Vision: Vibrant Ohio communities where everyone has access to healthy food and opportunities for active living

Mission: Activating community-led solutions to create sustainable change in policies, places, and population health

CHC is committed to preventing and reducing chronic disease statewide. Through cross-sector collaboration, we are activating communities to improve access to and affordability of healthy food and increase opportunities for physical activity where Ohioans live, work, and play. By implementing sustainable evidence-based strategies, CHC is creating a culture of health. CHC is funded by a federal Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant administered by the Ohio Department of Health. The CHC program goal is to reduce the preventable risk factors for chronic conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Activities target three priority neighborhoods: Barberton, Middlebury, and West Akron. Program activities include increasing physical activity and encouraging healthful nutritional choices. Desirable program outcomes include verbal or written policies, systems, and environmental change – new methods of evaluating the effectiveness of community health programs that modify the environment to encourage healthy choices. Learn more by reading the Creating Healthy Communities Success Stories Booklets or by visiting the ODH CHC website.