Seattle Public School's recent decision to consider changes to its healthy vending policy got a lot of media attention, both in Seattle and across the country. Many of the reports are incorrect, and here's the School District's official statement on the matter:

Read more on Treeswing's website. Read the Seattle Times story on the proposed changes in the News Clips.  

When planners at the City of Federal Way were looking for resident input on updated plans that encourage active living and healthy eating, they knew they'd have to think outside the box to reach at-risk populations that don't usually attend public meetings or volunteer for advisory groups.

The City turned to social media as an alternative to its traditional means of outreach, launching the Engage Federal Way website in July. Engage Federal Way allows community planning to happen online, engaging a broader audience and creating more effective community participation.

On the new website, the City has posted draft maps of future pedestrian and bicycle networks and asked residents
to provide feedback. And they are responding! Since its launch in July, there have been nearly 2,900 visits to the site, including more than 1,300 unique visitors and more than 11,600 page views. Visitors spend, on average, more than three minutes on the site and view at least four pages per visit. At the end of the project, rewards will be given to the people who visited the site most often.

To help reach a diverse population, the information on Engage Federal Way can be translated into 52 different languages with just one click.

The site will also provide measurable results and feedback for community leaders and elected officials. Federal Way staff can run reports on the demographics (age, gender, zip code) of users.

Learn more by visiting Engage Federal Way or contacting Margaret Clark at the City of Federal Way.  

ARMC has a free weekly tobacco-free support group for community members, patients and staff. For more information, call 253-223-7538. 

Congratulations to ARMC on a successful smoke-free initiative! Read more about this and other healthy changes in Auburn in a recent article in the Auburn Reporter.

Take the Soda Free Sundays pledge

By Dorsol Plants, Soda Free Sundays

In November, the Seattle Housing Authority Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a policy that will prohibit smoking in all units by Feb. 1, 2012. 

The policy limits smoking to designated areas; it does not mean that residents or employees will have to quit smoking in order to live or work at agency properties. For residents who are interested in quitting smoking, the agency is committed to providing tobacco cessation information and resources. 

"This is a significant decision on behalf of the health of our residents. I am proud of the stance our Commissioners have taken and look forward to implementing the new policy with fairness and compassion," said Tom Tierney, Executive Director of Seattle Housing Authority.

In August 2010, Seattle Housing Authority implemented a non-smoking policy across all Seattle Senior Housing Property (SSHP) buildings. The agency then expanded the rule in October to include both new construction projects and substantially rehabilitated properties. The newest policy will extend access to a non-smoking environment to all residential apartment units.

Resident feedback of the non-smoking policy has been largely supportive. A survey of Seattle Housing Authority residents in April 2011 showed 68 percent of low-income residents support a smoke-free environment for all SHA-owned and managed housing. A small number of residents have opposed the policy, concerned that their personal rights are being infringed upon.

"This is a policy we have been considering for over a year. We have done extensive outreach and community meetings and have had almost monthly conversations about it at our board briefings," said John Littel, Chair of the Seattle Housing Board of Commissioners. "We have made several revisions to the policies as a result of feedback we have gotten. We will continue to follow the implementation of the policy and will take the issues brought up today very seriously."

Seattle Housing Authority provides homes for a variety of people, including seniors, people with health problems or disabilities, children, and vulnerable population groups. Some suffer from heart and respiratory problems including emphysema, asthma, bronchitis and heart disease. Secondhand smoke in their environment often worsens their condition by intensifying symptoms.

Approximately 275 housing authorities across the U.S. have already implemented similar smoke-free policies.

Join us at the next Healthy King County Coalition meeting, where we will continue discussing coalition sustainability and celebrate our hard work and successes to date.  

CPPW partners

in action 

It has been an incrediby exciting and productive year as CPPW partners work toward building a healthier King County. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed their time, energy and leadership over the past year. Here's to a happy and healthy 2012!

December 2011

The Seattle Housing Authority votes to converting all of its units to smoke-free by February 2012.

Auburn Regional Medical Center  implements a tobacco-free campus policy. Free support groups are available for community members on site.

The City of Burien announces a new tobacco-free parks policy, joining five other cities in King County with smoke-free policies.

October 2011

The "Your Power, Your Voice: Youth Leadership Summit" brings together more than 150 students for healthier communities.

The Mapping Our Voices for Equality (MOVE) map, which shows how local CPPW projects are working toward healthier neighborhoods, launches.

Students across King County mark International Walk to School Month by walking and biking to school. 

September 2011

Housing Resources Group implements smoke-free housing policies for all of its buildings.

August 2011

19 refugee and immigrant youth create a video documenting tobacco use in their community.

July 2011
 Four mental health and substance use agencies, representing 17 sites, implemented tobacco-free campus policies.  

June 2011

70,000 SNAP and WIC recipients living in south King County can use their benefits at 6 south-end farmers markets.

128 registered PrideFest vendors pledge to implement some form of tobacco free policy.

Seattle Public Schools adopt new tobacco-free environment policy.

OneAmerica engages 100 Somali community members in Tukwila to assess barriers to physical activity. They overwhelmingly want to participate in more physical activity (83%) and need better access to parks and recreation facilities in their neighborhoods (43%).

May 2011

Gay City's Tobacco education campaign launches.

Nearly 300 people take the Soda Free Sundays pledge.

Harborview and UW Medical Center implement a campus-wide smoke-free policy on May 31.  

April 2011

The King County Board of Health passes Healthy Vending Guidelines to encourage organizations to provide healthier choices in vending machines.

Workshop on smoke-free housing for people with chronic mental illness gathers 50 participants.  
 

Childcare centers across King County turn off the TV for Screen Free Week.

Total number of affordable housing units planning to go smoke-free by March 2012 is over 9,000.

March 2011 

Seattle Gay News commits to not running tobacco advertising targeting the LGBT community as part of its partnership with Gay City and One Degree Events around Pridefest.

February 2011

A CPPW-funded media campaign increases calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW, a free resource to help people quit tobacco, by 40 percent.

January 2011

The Healthy Foods Here Produce Manual makes it easier for small grocery and convenience stores to sell fresh produce. 

Highline Medical Center goes tobacco-free.

December 2010 

The King County Board

of Health passes comprehensive e-cigarette regulations to protect youth in King County.

October 2010

A new education campaign spreads the word about the health impacts of consuming sugar-loaded beverages.

September 2010

CPPW partners working on comprehensive planning gain a valuable tool when the King County Board of Health adopts new Planning for Healthy Communities Guidelines to inform planning decisions and promote health by creating environments that allow people to be physically active, eat healthy food, and live in safe and healthy places.

In the news 

Washington's tobacco prevention program saved $1.5 billion over ten years - saving over $5 for every $1 spent: New study, The Sacramento Bee, Dec. 15

More local stores are selling cigarettes to kids, Seattle P-I, Dec. 15

'Latinos On The MOVE' To Use Maps, Stories On Smoke-Free Areas In Burien, B-Town Blog, Dec. 7

Historic John's Corner Deli returns to healthier roots, West Seattle Herald, Dec. 6

King County leaders celebrate local agriculture and healthy eating on Food Day, Snoqualmie Valley Star, Dec. 3

City of Seattle Will Remove Candy And Soda From Vending Machines In Seattle Parks, KUOW, Nov. 29 

Auburn Regional joins growing tobacco-free crusade, Auburn Reporter, Nov. 23