The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) is a national public health non-profit agency focused on the health of the public by strengthening state and national leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control. NACDD’s core membership is composed of the 58 State and Territorial Health Department Chronic Disease Directors and their staff who protect the health of the public through primary and secondary prevention efforts and work “upstream” on root causes of chronic conditions. NACDD promotes health and reduces the burden of chronic disease through various programs and initiatives in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity and the Division of Population Health, and a team of nationally recognized experts.
To enhance public health resources across the country and support state and local public health settings respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Health AmeriCorps (PHA) program supports the recruitment, training, and development of the next generation of public health leaders. In partnership with a State Health Department or similar agency, local health department(s) or other community-based organization(s), and/or a local YMCA or YMCA State Alliance, Service Members will be placed across fifteen states to advance existing efforts around food and nutrition security, safe physical activity access, social connectedness, and health equity, all within the context of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PHA Service Member will support the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services food and nutrition, access to physical activity, and social connectedness strategies. They will specifically support goals and activities related to these strategies through the implementation, promotion and facilitation of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. The Service Member will: 1) promote self-care behaviors that mitigate the social isolation often linked with chronic conditions through a 6-week workshop designed to hone skills, facilitate experience-sharing, and provide mutual support, 2) offer guidance on exercise tailored to maintain and boost strength and endurance, and prevent falls, 3) share resources and knowledge about nutritious eating habits, 4) advise on effective communication strategies with peers, family, oneself, and the healthcare providers/system, and 5) instruct participants in the arts of action-planning, problem-solving, and informed decision-making.
For more information visit our Prospective Service Member page on our NACDD PHA Website.