Team Profile Summary

Currently CPH/Jefferson County Place Matters Team serves six of the oldest and poorest communities in Jefferson County. CPH’s neighborhood outreach touches almost half of the African-American population in Jefferson County, and one-fourth of the African-American population in Alabama. The communities consist of 115,000 underserved minorities within the churches and surrounding neighborhoods.

CPH/Jefferson County Place Matters targets these communities with a focus on reducing the risk factors through education, and addressing local, state and national policies which affect environmental conditions contributing to the high rates of obesity among this population.

For additional information, you may contact Rev. Ronnie Williams at rwillglc@bellsouth.net.

Team Profile Details

Problem Statement

Alabama has been identified as the second most obese state in the union; while Birmingham, Alabama (a city in Jefferson County) was identified as the most obese city in the United States of America.

Environment, poverty, fresh food availability, government policy and awareness are considered to be contributing factors to the existing problem of obesity in Jefferson County, Alabama. Determination of upstream Social Determinants of Health is considered the key problem impacting a positive effect on all factors.

Team Objectives:

The Jefferson County Place Matters Team will establish a coalition of community, public, private, and government organizations to help develop a definition of Social Determinants of Health in Jefferson County. Working with these coalitions will help promote and advocate for individuals, families, community and political environment change and policy, in reversing and eliminating current trends of childhood obesity in Jefferson County.

Community Partners: (in alphabetical order)

• Alabama Department of Public Health, Office of Minority Health
• Bethel Baptist Church
• Clergy That Care
• Congregations for Public Health, Inc.
• DuBois Institute
• Faith Apostolic Church
• First Baptist Church ACIPCO
• First Baptist Church Fairfield
• Greater Temple Baptist Church
• Jefferson County Commissioner George Bowman, County Health Commissioner
• Jefferson County Department of Health
• Jefferson County Obesity Task Force
• Lily Grove Missionary Baptist Church
• Mary Moore, Alabama State Legislature
• Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Public Health

For more information and to become involved, please contact:
Team Lead: Rev. Ronnie Williams
Email: rwillglc@bellsouth.net
Phone: (205) 215.6570