Manitowoc County CAN and U --> CAN: Public nurses discuss health initiatives with Leibham

Julie Reimer and Amy Storm, public health nurses from Manitowoc and Calumet counties, respectively, discussed the Active Schools Initiative and other health-related issues during a recent visit with state Sen. Joe Leibham.

Coverage in the Herald Times Reporter summarizes the topics covered during the visit. Read the article.

Remember to "Keep it Local" When Planning for JFCs

Guest post written by Spencer Straub, Media & Communications Coordinator for the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

This season of Joint Finance Committee hearings is sure to be unlike any other. People from all walks of life throughout all parts of the state will be prepared to discuss a variety of issues, and it's important to be part of that discussion. However, while you're recruiting speakers, writing testimony, and planning JFC trips, don't forget the important role earned media can play in your communications efforts.

With the number of issues sure to be discussed at JFC, don't ignore the impact that a well-written letter to the editor in a legislator's home town paper can have. While many people will be reaching for the microphone at the hearings, not everyone will think to tell their story to the local media.

Letters are just one strategy--try holding an event on your issue and invite your local media to cover it. When effectively planned, local media outreach can effectively complement your JFC strategy.

The best part is, if you're planning your JFC presence, chances are you've already written testimony that can be re-purposed into a letter to the editor. Good letters, just like solid testimony, tell a human story of your issue's impact--or your program's success. Take advantage of your existing resources to maximize your impact.

Sometimes just getting started is the hardest part of writing testimony or letters to the editor. Luckily there are tools to help you get your feet wet. Click here for letter to the editor resources and here for testimony preparation tips to help you get started.

Why is eating good food so hard?

A story created by Jennifer Warpinski from the Fitness and Nutrition Coalition of Outagamie County.

Using policy to promote community use of schools

On November 15, Communities Putting Prevention to Work invited Dr. John Spengler from the University of Florida to discuss his research on school joint-use agreements (recently published as “Policies to Promote the Community Use of Schools: A Review of State Recreational Use Statues,” in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine).

Dr. Spengler outlined the different types of joint and shared use agreements that school districts and communities can adopt, and discussed the benefits and challenges facing these partnerships.

Strong relationships exist between policy issues, characteristics of natural and built environments, and personal levels of physical activity. Joint-use agreements can create or improve safe places for people to be physically active.




School districts and communities weighing joint or shared use agreements must address real and perceived barriers related to:

• liability


• maintenance


• vandalism and crime


• scheduling, and


• costs associated with normal operations (staff time, utilities, etc.).

Among the benefits of thoughtful joint-use agreements — beyond the obvious benefits of providing safe places for community members to be physically active — school districts and communities cited increased community collaboration and strengthened ties between schools and families.

To hear a recording of this call, please dial toll free (888)567-0476. The entire call lasts approximately one hour.

Online resources:

- Public Health Law & Policy’s Joint-Use Toolkit
- NPLAN (National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity) Joint Use Resources , including checklists for developing joint-use agreements, model joint-use agreements, primers on liability, etc.
- Unlocking the Playground: Achieving Equity in Physical Activity Spaces from the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network



What experiences, if any, do you or other members of your coalition have working with school districts to craft joint-use agreements?