Called the Achieve Initiative, the program aims to reduce chronic diseases through education, and by helping people adopt healthier behaviors and lifestyles.
It relies heavily on agencies and businesses county-wide whose
Executives will serve on a volunteer board of sorts, cooperating their organizations' goals with the program's.
Lake County Health District Deputy Commissioner Ron Graham is spearheading the effort.
RON GRAHAM:
"We're really not looking at telling people what they cannot do, but helping individuals facilitate and find things that they can do to become healthier"
The county wants to implement the program over five years, using an $85,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get the program going for the first three years.
Some Health District workers have already received specialized training. A web site dedicated to the initiative rolls out later this month.
The eventual goals are to create more opportunities to reinforce healthy lifestyle habits, from teaching residents about making healthier food choices, to helping cities promote physical activity through better design of sidewalks and bike trails.
Graham hopes that neighboring Geauga and Cuyahoga Counties can also benefit from Lake's effort.
GRAHAM:"We're very very healthy in Lake County, but we're doing something right. I think we can expand upon and identify what we're doing right, then there's a lot of other things other counties can learn from us."
Graham says this is the first step in what could be a generation-long battle.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
