Prince George's County (MD) Profile

Team Profile Summary

The Prince George's County team consists of a broad section of participants from public health, education, health advocacy non-profits, local elected officials, land use planners, and residents committed to advancing health through systematically advocating for sound policy and activities that address the systems determinants of health.  The team's focus is addressing food equity though establishing a Food Policy Council and working with the County's recreation department to design and implement after school healthy eating and active living programs reaching county elementary schools.  

Promoting this throughout the county will begin by creating a model in the Port Towns of Bladensburg, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, and Edmonston.  These incorporated areas have drafted a Community Action Plan with strategies that will provide insights on how to reduce chronic disease in Prince George's County.  The Community Action Plan was completed through the generous support of Kaiser Permanente, Consumer Health Foundation, United Way of the National Capital Area, and Meyer Foundation.  It is intended that this approach will be replicated in other similar municipalities in the County.

 

 

Team Profile Details

Problem Statement

 

  • Prince George's County ranks significantly higher than the Maryland average for many rates of mortality, morbidity, and prevalence of chronic diseases.
  • 69% of County residents are overweight or obese with 48% of children being overweight or obese.
  • Prince George's County has the second highest adjusted death rate from heart disease in Maryland: 280.4 per 100,000, while the state average is 252.8.
  • For African Americans in Prince George's County the death rate from heart disease is 338.4 per 100,000, while for Whites it is 228.7.

 

Team Objectives

 

  • Foster collaboration between public schools and parks /recreation to institute a daily after-school program geared toward increasing physical activity and healthy eating.
  • Establish a food policy council that will address food access and reducing food deserts.
  • Gather and research evidence-based and promising practices in land-use and zoning that will improve the built environment in places with high rates of chronic disease.
  • Create Policy Development and Community Implementation teams that connect policy to practice and provide a place for building community leadership capacity.

  • Enhance sustainable leadership opportunities, especially for youth and people in the community that have historically had less access to such opportunities.

 

For more information and to become involved, please contact:
Team Co-Leaders: Celeste James                 David Harrington
Email:                  Celeste.a.james@kp.org    harrington.c.david@gmail.com
Phone:                 (301) 816 649                  (301) 407 7088