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Special Sessions & Workshops
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Wednesday, 2 October
8:30 - 10:00 Reducing Health Disparities through Enhanced Mobility Support & Access Workshop Host: Valerie Lefler, CEO Feonix Mobility-Rising While social supports exist for housing insecurity, food insecurity, employment insecurity, childcare, and even medical needs, there is not an established program that provides a "safety net" for transportation insecurity, despite transportation being an upstream challenge for many Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). Healthcare, senior care, veterans, and other organizations are left to "figure it out" with very little staff capacity and little to no financial resources. Often, that burden creates major barriers and a cascade of downstream effects. Transportation insecurity is a root cause of multiple health disparities for disadvantaged communities. When we do not take care of an individual's transportation needs, health is impacted, and direct and indirect health costs increase. The proposed research would answer the question of whether removing transportation barriers through a Transportation Assistance Hub (TAH) improves health outcomes and reduces health disparities. The TAH provides a one stop shop for transportation needs by deploying Mobility as a Service technology, accessible via app, web, or call center. Rides are able to be booked with public transit, taxi, ride hail (Uber), scooter, or e-bike at no cost with a mobility wallet and debit card connected to the individual's account. In addition, the TAH provides an extra level of support to individuals through the Mobility Navigator. The TAH also has a senior staff member who leads a local Mobility Leadership Circle, identifies and secures funding through local, regional, state, federal, and philanthropic organizations. Often technological solutions are deployed, devoid of the contextual realities of the environments in which they are being implemented. The TAH utilizes technology that is informed and evolves with the needs of marginalized communities. The TAH involves cross-sector community organization involvement and rider input integrated within the solution that continues after implementation. In each community, there is a Mobility Navigator present to provide one-on-one support for riders when mapping out their mobility needs and options. The Mobility Navigator works with the project participants to work towards sustainability, self-efficacy, and a holistic approach to mobility solutions - supporting their education on the transportation resources available, and how to optimize their use for long term impact. |
Valerie Lefler, MPA
Founder, CEO/Executive Director Feonix- Mobility Rising United States of America Valerie is the Founder, CEO, and Executive Director of Feonix - Mobility Rising. She is an international expert in rural transportation, accessibility, and mobility as a service. In just its first four years, Feonix has launched programs in nine states with notable partners and collaborators, including the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, Easterseals, the AARP Office of Driver Safety, Toyota North America, Centene Corporation, and the Michigan Department of Transportation. Valerie was featured by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the "Top 9 Innovators to Watch" and has also been highlighted in the New York Times, NPR, and the Christian Science Monitor. Valerie graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln with a degree in Business Administration after studying International Economics abroad at the University of Oxford. She also received her master’s degree with honors in Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Management from the University of Nebraska—Omaha. |
Wednesday, 2 October
10:30 - 12:00
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Workshop
Hosted by: Matthew Hardy, ITE Technical Advisor &
10:30 - 12:00
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Workshop
Hosted by: Matthew Hardy, ITE Technical Advisor &
Wednesday, 2 October
15:30 - 17:30+ Inclusive Walk/Move Audits: Why Be Inclusive? How to Do Them? What Happens Next? Hosted by Karma Edwards Learning is enhanced through, content level descriptions, active participation and experiential activities. During the walking audit, participants will be divided into groups to explore and observe the built environment of St. Charles through a walkable and movable lens. Karma will point out disability inclusion concepts and actively involve participants in an action planning exercise. Through the process of experiential learning, participants will be able to "feel" and effectively apply real-world concepts associated with more walkable and movable environments. Participants will learn how to make changes to the built environment design that is equitable and meets the needs of a culturally diverse community. Learning Objectives:
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Karma E. Edwards, MPH
Public Health Consultant Center for Advancing Healthy Communities National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). Over the last 13 years Karma has worked with nearly 160 locations throughout the country to make healthy community improvements. She focuses on capacity-building with expertise in creating new policy, system improvements, and environmental changes for inclusive physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco strategies. Karma's previous include 10 years at the local and regional levels in rural North Carolina counties where she worked to develop and manage community health educators, WIC nutritionists, and broad community health efforts. Karma enjoys the overlap between active transportation, built environment, disability inclusion and holds the general belief that when communities are created for everyone, no one gets left out. |
Thursday, 3 October
8:30 - 10:00
Special Abstract Session - Windsor Room I
The Center for Advancing Healthy Communities (CAHC) at the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) supports state, local and territory-based programs and consists of several programs and teams that focus in the areas of food and nutrition security, physical activity and built environment, tobacco cessation, obesity, social connectedness, chronic disease-related mental health, and equity/social justice. CAHC provides technical assistance and training for program implementation while expanding capabilities and resources, promoting healthful policy and environmental change, and collaborating to foster mutually beneficial partnerships. This session will highlight various programs within the Center that address policies, systems, and environments to foster healthy and sustainable communities.
8:30 - 10:00
Special Abstract Session - Windsor Room I
The Center for Advancing Healthy Communities (CAHC) at the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) supports state, local and territory-based programs and consists of several programs and teams that focus in the areas of food and nutrition security, physical activity and built environment, tobacco cessation, obesity, social connectedness, chronic disease-related mental health, and equity/social justice. CAHC provides technical assistance and training for program implementation while expanding capabilities and resources, promoting healthful policy and environmental change, and collaborating to foster mutually beneficial partnerships. This session will highlight various programs within the Center that address policies, systems, and environments to foster healthy and sustainable communities.
- The Walkability Action Institute and Its Role in the National Walkability Movement, Karma Edwards, MSPH
- Promoting Lifestyle Management Programs and Walking to Improve Quality of Life for Adults with Arthritis and Other Comorbidities, Elizabeth Erck, MS and Heather Murphy, BS
- Social connectedness and Active Transportation: A Case Study in Franklin County, Ohio, Mara Galic, MHSc, RD; Joann Donnelly, MA, BCC, CSM; and Leah Rimkus, MPH, RD
Thursday, 3 October
13:30 - 15:00
Meet in the Lobby to go as a group to the Katy Trail
*Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended
Walk, Talk and Dance for Mindful and Active Transport
Hosted by: Eleanor DiPalma, PhD
13:30 - 15:00
Meet in the Lobby to go as a group to the Katy Trail
*Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended
Walk, Talk and Dance for Mindful and Active Transport
Hosted by: Eleanor DiPalma, PhD
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In this workshop, participants experience mind/bodyful walking in nature for mental health and sustainable transport. “Walk, Talk and Dance” (WTD) in Nature is empowering to self, others and community. The WTD process enhances self-directed movement, body awareness and social engagement.
Dr. Eleanor M. DiPalma, professor and dance movement psychotherapist, guides participants to focus on body and breath. She introduces the concept of moving and relating to inner and outer sensing in a diverse health geography. Participants experience walking movement in kinespheres (movement in relation to body center) and dynaspheres (energetic fields of life). In the WTD process, participants become aware of natural dance movements that emerge from verbal and nonverbal communications. A natural communicative process, namely...self-directed movements starting "in place" and evolving into "traveling movements," heightens perceptual unfolding. The WTD unfolding process in a safe environment fosters active and joyful movements. These positive movement experiences reinforce “active transport” in green and blue spaces. WTD facilitates stress release and culturally expressive movement while strengthening regard for the nurturing and healing powers of nature. The "dance" in WTD facilitates spontaneity and creativity that transforms sensory input into new movement ideas that go beyond the original movement experience.
When transportation professionals have opportunities to experience WTD, they embody mind/bodyful practices in nature for mental health and are likely to include greener and bluer in the plan and design of built environments for global sustainability.
Photos: Pullman Park, Melbourne, Australia ICTH 2019
Dr. Eleanor M. DiPalma, professor and dance movement psychotherapist, guides participants to focus on body and breath. She introduces the concept of moving and relating to inner and outer sensing in a diverse health geography. Participants experience walking movement in kinespheres (movement in relation to body center) and dynaspheres (energetic fields of life). In the WTD process, participants become aware of natural dance movements that emerge from verbal and nonverbal communications. A natural communicative process, namely...self-directed movements starting "in place" and evolving into "traveling movements," heightens perceptual unfolding. The WTD unfolding process in a safe environment fosters active and joyful movements. These positive movement experiences reinforce “active transport” in green and blue spaces. WTD facilitates stress release and culturally expressive movement while strengthening regard for the nurturing and healing powers of nature. The "dance" in WTD facilitates spontaneity and creativity that transforms sensory input into new movement ideas that go beyond the original movement experience.
When transportation professionals have opportunities to experience WTD, they embody mind/bodyful practices in nature for mental health and are likely to include greener and bluer in the plan and design of built environments for global sustainability.
Photos: Pullman Park, Melbourne, Australia ICTH 2019