HEAC Technical Support uses a variety of strategies to support community groups to change their nutrition and physical activity environments in each of the five HEAC sectors. At the core of the program is a team of experts that provide training, consultation, tools and materials to support HEAC grantees to be successful in achieving their HEAC goals. The HEAC Technical Support program emphasizes peer learning (sharing new and innovative strategies and ideas) and participatory planning (grantees help to shape the scope and direction of the support available).
Partnership for the Public's Health serves as HEAC's program office, and provides overall coordination of the technical support, as well as direct support in the following areas:
- assisting local groups as they develop their collaboratives
- facilitating peer learning across sites
- working with local health departments to adopt community-based public health policies and practices
Five organizations make up the core of the technical support team:
- California Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition) - School Sector
- California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) - - After-School Sector
- PolicyLink - Neighborhood Sector
- Kaiser Permanente - Healthcare Sector
- Berkeley Media Studies Group - Marketing and Advertising Sector
In addition, the following organizations provide training and expertise in specialized areas:
- California Center for Civic Participation and Youth Development - youth engagement and youth leadership
- Children Now - reducing marketing and advertising aimed at children
- Common Sense Media - parent education and media literacy
- Contra Costa County Health Services - health department strategies for prevention
- Land Use and Health Program, Public Health Law Program - influencing city and county land use plans
- Public Media Center - social marketing and communications materials
- Strategic Alliance - state advocacy on nutrition and physical activity
Finally, the Technical Support program provides materials, tools and resources to grantees through a semi-monthly e-mail newsletter the HEAC Communications Digest, and by linking grantees with other state and national organizations that provide updates, policy alerts and web-based strategy exchanges.
