LA County Department of Public Health

History of the Los Angeles Collaborative for Healthy, Active Children

The Los Angeles Collaborative for Healthy, Active Children was formed in February 18, 2003 to address the epidemic of overweight and unfit children and their families in Los Angeles County. With leadership from the Los Angeles County Children’s Power—Play! Community Coalition, Los Angeles Region Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition) Coalition and support from the Network for a Healthy California – California Department of Public Health, the collaborative is made up of over 100 stakeholders including school districts, Head Start providers, health care providers, community-based organizations, DPH Programs, Department of Parks and Recreation and faith-based organizations, the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society, Dairy Council of California and California Food Policy Advocates. By sharing their resources, expertise and influence, members are expanding the reach of their individual programs and addressing crucial nutrition and physical activity health issues and disparities in the County.

The initial goal of the Collaborative was to address the epidemic of unfit and overweight children in Los Angeles County by putting into action recommendations of The Los Angeles County Physical Fitness and Nutrition Task Force Paving the Way for Physically Fit and Healthy Children Findings and Recommendations Report, August 2002.

Support for the LA Collaborative is provided by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Nutrition Program with funding from the US Department of Agriculture Food Stamp Program, an equal opportunity provider and employer, through the Network for a Healthy California.

Vision

Children and families of Los Angeles County are physically active, eat healthy foods, and live in communities where policies and environments promote a healthy lifestyle.

Mission

To reduce the epidemic of unfit and overweight children and families in Los Angeles County by increasing innovative partnerships in order to plan and implement initiatives that make it easier for underserved populations to adopt lifestyles that include healthy eating and physical activity.

Actions

1. Bring together and mobilize diverse interests including low-income consumers, government agencies, non-profit and charitable organizations, advocates, community leaders, businesses, social service offices, and others with expertise in nutrition, physical activity and nutrition assistance programs in underserved Los Angeles area communities to form a dynamic, proactive regional collaborative.

2. Plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate countywide campaigns and initiatives, consistent with the Los Angeles Collaborative for Healthy Active Children vision and mission that increase access to and availability of fruits and vegetables, safe physical activity and food security.

Coordination Committee January 2010- December 2011

Dipa Shah-Patel, MPH

Network for a Healthy California-

ABC Unified School District

Chair

Maureen Feldman

Worldwise Education Inc. / Artwork for Education

Vice Chair

Ruben Brambila, MPH

Youth Activism Against Obesity (YAAO)

Rethink Your Drink

Subcommittee Chair

Dennis Carrillo, MPH

Health Net of CA, Inc.

Communications

Subcommittee Chair

Nicola Edwards, RD

California Food Policy Advocates

Advocacy

Subcommittee Co-Chair

Jennifer Genens, MS, RD

Network for a Healthy California-LAUSD

Membership

Subcommittee Co-Chair

Irene Kratz, MS, RN

District 1 Nursing Services, LAUSD

Membership

Subcommittee Co-Chair

Cecilia Maldonado, MS, RD

LACOE - Head Start-State Preschool

Education

Subcommittee Co-Chair

Zoe Phillips, MPH, CHES

Center for Food & Justice

Urban & Environmental Policy Institute

Mini-Grants

Subcommittee Chair

Brenda Roche, RD

UC Cooperative Extension

Advocacy

Subcommittee Co-Chair

Jamie Sanchez, RD

Network for a Healthy California –LACOE

Ad-Hoc

Corina Ulloa, MPH, RD

Network for a Healthy California -

El Monte City School District

Parent Empowerment

Subcommittee Chair

Cindy Young, MPH, RD

Los Angeles Dietetics Association

Education

Subcommittee Co-Chair

Regional Network and County Support Staff

Paul Simon, MD, MPH
Director, Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Department, County of Los Angeles

Jean Tremaine, MA, MPH
Director, Nutrition Program, Public Health Department, County of Los Angeles

Suzanne Bogert, MS, RD
Project Director, Network for a Healthy California--Los Angeles Region

Lauren Neel, MPH, CHES
Coordinator, Los Angeles Collaborative for Active Healthy Children

This material was produced by the California Department of Public Health, Network for a Healthy California, with funding from the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program). These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. In California, food stamps provide assistance to low-income households, and can help buy nutritious foods for better health. For food stamp information, call 877-847-3663. For important nutrition information visit www.cachampionsforchange.net.