Get Healthy Utah News and Blog

August 28th 2024

Implementing a Milers Morning Program in Schools Written by Susanne Creer, Physical Education Specialist at Terra Linda Elementary School Milers is a voluntary morning before school walk/jog progr...

July 18th 2024

This spring, Get Healthy Utah partnered with the Utah Foundation and Guiding Our Growth to host the first-ever Healthy Communities Roadshow! The roadshow, which ran from March to May 2024, consist...

May 31st 2024

Alysia Ducuara Alysia Ducuara is the Executive Director for Get Healthy Utah. Springtime means conference and event season at Get Healthy Utah! From visiting with our parks and recreation champion...

April 30th 2024

Trilby Cox Trilby Cox is Co-Executive Director for Bike Utah, a Utah-based nonprofit. Bike Utah is partnering with Get Healthy Utah and Move Utah for the Connected Communities Summit this fall. Bi...

April 18th 2024

The Healthy Utah Community designation is valid for three years. To qualify for redesignation, communities must complete the following: Submit a new letter of commitment Continue to hold health...

April 18th 2024

Get Healthy Utah, in conjunction with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, is pleased to announce the newest Healthy Utah Community designees. Six cities and towns qualified this spring: Mapleton, Ore...

March 14th 2024

Get Healthy Utah partnered with the Utah Worksite Wellness Council and Utah Community Builders to host the second annual Utah Business of Health Event! The event took place on February 7th, 2024 at th...

March 7th 2024

Chet Loftis R. Chet Loftis is the Managing Director of PEHP Health & Benefits, a public sector health plan that covers over 170,000 members. He is also the new Board Chair for Get Healthy Utah. Go...

January 17th 2024

Morgan Hadden Morgan is the Program Coordinator for Get Healthy Utah. She graduated from Utah State University with a B.S. and M.P.H in Health Education and Promotion. Chances are, your city or t...

January 2nd 2024

Greg Bell Greg Bell is the outgoing Get Healthy Utah Board Chair. Greg previously served as president of the Utah Hospitals Association and lieutenant governor for Utah. In 2014, a group of us cre...

November 3rd 2023

Cindy Nelson Cindy is an Extension Associate Professor in Beaver County Utah with responsibilities in Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H. She loves the people she serves, and the variety of progra...

October 17th 2023

Get Healthy Utah held its annual Stakeholder Retreat this October at the Viridian Event Center in West Jordan. This year’s theme was “Connection: Building a Culture of Health.” Topics included the con...

September 26th 2023

Devynne Andrews, JD Devynne Andrews is the Communications Coordinator for Get Healthy Utah. Recently, the Get Healthy Utah staff attended an advance screening of UnCharitable, a documentary about...

September 5th 2023

Get Healthy Utah, in conjunction with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, is pleased to announce the newest Healthy Utah Community designees. Four cities and towns qualified this fall: Coalville, Hol...

August 4th 2023

Dr. Amy Locke Amy Locke is the Chief Wellness Officer for the University of Utah Health, executive director of the University of Utah Health Resiliency Center, Professor of Family and Preventive Med...

July 31st 2023

Elisa Soulier Elisa Soulier is the Vice Chair for the Get Healthy Utah Board. She works as Director of Health and Wellbeing at Castell. She focuses on delivering more high value holistic care for pa...

July 17th 2023

Jennifer Porter and Rachel Bowman Jennifer Porter, RDN, is a Health Program Coordinator, and Rachel Bowman is a Nutrition Coordinator for the Utah WIC program. Visit wic.utah.gov to learn more. Nu...

July 11th 2023

Key Takeaways: “Green streets” have more plants, soil, and water-friendly systems than traditional streets Originally, green streets were designed to capture rainwater locally Green streets al...

Cover for Utah Foundation Report

June 28th 2023

The Utah Foundation recently released a report, Healthy Communities: Advancing Wellness and Safety, focused on policy solutions for Utah communities to increase physical activity. The report is meant...

June 9th 2023

Get Healthy Utah held its annual Advisory Council this May. We want to thank everyone who attended and shared their ideas on how we can improve healthy eating and active living in Utah through system-...

Two adults and two kids doing pottery.

May 16th 2023

Key Takeaways: Utahns are in a mental health crisis and need the healing and social connection that arts and culture can deliver. The arts foster connection, support the healing process, and com...

Healthy Utah Community Logo

April 24th 2023

Get Healthy Utah, in conjunction with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, is pleased to announce the newest designees of the Healthy Utah Community award. Six cities and towns qualified this spring:...

Children Eating Lunch at School

April 19th 2023

Kathleen Britton Kathleen Britton, SNS has served as the Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the Utah State Board of Education, since February 2014. Ms. Britton began her nutrition work as a Die...

Kids at Recess

April 10th 2023

Kimberly Clevenger Kimberly Clevenger is an Assistant Professor in Kinesiology and Health Science at Utah State University, with a background in exercise physiology. Her research interests are in th...

School child with healthy school lunch

March 25th 2023

Greg Bell Greg Bell is the Get Healthy Utah Board Chair. Greg is president of the Utah Hospitals Association, and previously served as lieutenant governor for Utah. Recent research in Great Britai...

February 27th 2023

This February, Get Healthy Utah and the Utah Worksite Wellness Council held the Utah Business of Health event, with the theme “Good Health is Good Business.” Leaders from Utah businesses and insurance...

October 28th 2022

Get Healthy Utah held its annual Stakeholder Retreat this October in Salt Lake City, with the theme “Building Healthier Communities.” A variety of leaders attended to learn more about their common...

August 3rd 2022

Organization: Get Healthy Utah Contact: Alysia Ducuara, Executive Director Location: 2180 S 1300 E, Suite 440, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 Program Details: The mission of Get Healthy Utah is to c...

July 14th 2022

In June 2022, Get Healthy Utah offered mini-grants to cities and towns that want to provide their citizens with better opportunities for healthy living. Cities and towns could apply for up to $5,000 t...

October 13th 2021

Each year, Get Healthy Utah gives Partnership Awards to organizations that have collaborated across sectors to significantly improve community health. This year at the Fall 2021 Get Healthy Utah Stake...

October 13th 2021

The Fall 2021 Get Healthy Utah Stakeholder Retreat was held in-person on October 7th in Salt Lake City. Attendees represented various sectors that have an upstream impact on community health, such as...

August 1st 2021

On June 30, 2021, Get Healthy Utah held a virtual information session on type 2 diabetes, the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP), and the importance of Medicaid coverage. During the i...

June 2nd 2021

The Annual Get Healthy Utah Stakeholder Retreat was held virtually on May 5, 2021. The event focused on the One Utah Roadmap. Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson provided the keynote address. The closing s...

March 10th 2021

What is a wellness policy? A wellness policy creates a safe and healthy environment for students and staff to practice lifelong healthy habits. The school community (which includes parents, students...

November 3rd 2020

Social and economic conditions where we live, work, and play can impact our health status. These include income, affordable housing, safe places to walk, healthy food access, discrimination, and healt...

August 20th 2020

Get Healthy Utah is proud to have partnered with Comagine Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Utah Department of Health, and University of Utah Health to host the free virtual summit for worksites Impro...

August 4th 2020

Jeff Hummel, MD, MPH Medical Director, Health Care Informatics, Comagine Health Meredith Agen, MBA Vice President, Health Care Analytics, Comagine Health The COVID-19 pandemic has seemed both distan...

June 20th 2020

Guest Post by Brett McIff Brett McIff, PhD is the Physical Activity Coordinator for the EPICC Program at the Utah Department of Health. His research has focused on the perception of the built envir...

April 21st 2020

Rural communities often have poorer health outcomes than non-rural communities. This is due, in part, to barriers to accessing healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, and mental health reso...

April 15th 2020

A new, and timely, report from the Utah Foundation examines trends and challenges related to teleworking. Findings include: Teleworking seems to have a positive effect on productivity and employee...

March 24th 2020

Gyms, recreational facilities, schools, and extracurricular activities are cancelled. While we are all doing our part to stay home and maintain proper social distancing, it is important to be physical...

March 18th 2020

To help in preventing the spread of COVID-19, Utah schools are dismissed for a soft closure until March 27th. What does this mean for school meals? On average, 50% of Utah K-12 students participat...

February 20th 2020

Guest Blog Post By, Kate Wheeler, Child Nutrition Specialist, Utah State Board of Education Kate works on farm to fork and local procurement initiatives. Kate has an MPH from Emory University. Prior...

January 14th 2020

The Utah State Board of Education has provided Best Practice for Recess Guidelines. While not mandated, the guidelines support the Utah State Board of Education’s Strategic Plan Safe and Healthy Schoo...

Implementing a Milers Morning Program in Schools

Implementing a Milers Morning Program in Schools

Written by Susanne Creer, Physical Education Specialist at Terra Linda Elementary School

Milers is a voluntary morning before school walk/jog program that we did in Nevada at my children’s elementary school. This can be implemented by a teacher or the parent volunteers. When I was co-chair of this program I was a parent not a PE teacher. Another school near us also had a milers program and was run by the PE teacher with help from parents. The way we did it 10 years ago was a lot more work with paper cards and volunteers punching cards foreach lap but I have discovered a much easier way to do this program that doesn’t require nearly as much support using the technology of the EZ scan app https://ezmileageclub.com/. It is very inexpensive. This program could also be used by teachers during the day for brain breaks, students who want to run/walk laps at lunch or recess, or special events.

The students earn rewards for each 10 miles they walk or jog or whatever mile or lap increment you set up. A bigger goal could be earning a 100 miles or laps and a special reward set up for that such as a special t-shirt, medal, or trophy. The purpose of this program is to get kids moving before school and to help instill a love for physical activity and lifetime wellness. The benefits are obvious cardiovascular improvement but it also helps with social and emotional learning, mental health, goal setting, and determination. The most compelling and powerful benefit of all is that regular physical activity has been shown through many scientific studies to provide enormous cognitive benefits increasing brain function and academic achievement especially in children https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934999/.

What also makes this morning program special is that parents, grandparents, other caretakers, and school staff can also participate. This helps to build relationships between parents and students and school staff.

How do you get a program started?

1. Choose a time that a PE teacher or parents/pta can supervise. At my school we are looking at 8:15 - 8:45 am with school starting at 9:00. Because I am new to the school we are waiting until the Spring to start our program but ideally in Utah you would want to get this program started as soon as possible in the school year.

2. Set up a course to run laps in the grass area of your school or wherever you can mark off cones for laps. Use a meter wheel to determine your mile distance which may consist of several laps to equal one mile.

3. Use the EZ scan app https://ezmileageclub.com/ with scan cards for each student participating. We are going to get lanyards with the badge slot to put the cards in so students can wear them while they run and use them year after year. The EZ scan app can be set up on an ipad sitting on a table where the students scan their card with each lap they complete. One parent or teacher ideally would be there to make sure they complete the lap but it would not be required.

4. The EZ scan will track the mileage/laps completed by up to 1500 participants so a teacher/parent can keep track of students who meet each level. 10 miles, 20 miles etc. We did ribbons in Nevada and would give it to their school teacher to present in class. It could also be a paper award or some other designated prize. Parents/PTA can help with this if they are willing to.

5. We also would have a wall in the school where each student will have a paper shoe that they color at the beginning of the year and has their name on it. As they complete each10 miles they will move down the track which will be on a wall for recognition. This is fun for the kids to see their progress.

6. When students meet a big goal that your school determines is the pinnacle you can have a special shirt made. At our school in Nevada we had students design the 100 mile t-shirt and then the kids voted on their favorite design. Each year this was a new t-shirt. Only the kids who complete 100 miles were able to get one. We also had lots of parents there to ring bells, cheer and have posters when they completed the big goal. We have also done trophies for 100 miles. The bigger award we liked to make a big deal about at school award assemblies but also on the field when it happens. Parents would be there and other teachers etc. to celebrate with them.

7. Use music outside while the kids run/walk. It creates a fun atmosphere. You can do it all the time or just on Fridays to make it more special.

8. We have done a large banner outside on the fence for Milers that had all of the sponsors for our program on the banner including parents as well as businesses that we used for prizes and other supplies. The banner itself was also donated by a business.

9. Reminder that this program could also be done during lunch recess or brain breaks or special events.

10. In Utah the mileage could possible be taken indoors into the gym before school. If that is not an option then students could do it in the first couple months of school and the last couple months of school if weather does not agree with being outside. I'm new to Utah, so we will see how that goes. Also the goals can be adjusted if there is less time to walk/jog outdoors to maybe 50 miles being the big goal.

Program Pictures

image 50441985

image 123650291 7

image 123650291 6

image 123650291 5

image 123650291 1

image 123650291

Healthy Utah Communities Roadshow

Roadshow Cover Image 1

 

This spring, Get Healthy Utah partnered with the Utah Foundation and Guiding Our Growth to host the first-ever Healthy Communities Roadshow! The roadshow, which ran from March to May 2024, consisted of ten in-person events around the state:

UCAN Roadshow Map

  • Farmington City (Davis County Region)
  • Nibley City (Bear River Region)
  • Ogden City (Weber-Morgan Region)
  • Park City (Summit/Wasatch Region)
  • Price City (Southeast Region)
  • Provo City (Utah County Region)
  • Sandy City (South Salt Lake Region)
  • City of St. George (Southwest/Five County Region)
  • West Valley City (North Salt Lake Region)
  • Vernal City (Uintah Basin Region)

The events lasted two hours each and educated community leaders on resources and strategies for building a healthy community. Attendees included mayors, city councils, regional staff and planners, health coalition members, local health departments, and more. The roadshow connected leaders with their local resources and gave them the tools and knowledge needed to improve health where they live.

 

Partner Presentations

The roadshow events began with three partner presentations from Guiding Our Growth, the Utah Foundation, and Get Healthy Utah.

Guiding Our Growth

Untitled design 1

 

 

 

 

 

Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, and that growth comes with both benefits and challenges. On the one hand, rapid growth indicates that Utah is an amazing place to live and many families choose to remain here for generations. On the other hand, growth can be difficult to manage and can strain our housing market, infrastructure, and natural resources.

To ensure that Utah not only grows, but grows in a way that reflects the wishes of its residents, the Utah State Legislature funded the Guiding Our Growth initiative. Residents from every county were surveyed about key issues like housing, water availability, transportation, and open space. The feedback, compiled in 2023, serves as a valuable tool to advise both local and state-level policymaking. To view the results, visit https://guidingourgrowth.utah.gov/survey-results/

Utah Foundation

Untitled design 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Utah Foundation is a non-partisan public policy research group that publishes research on the most critical issues facing our state. Last year, the Utah Foundation released three reports as part of its Healthy Communities Series. The reports were titled Healthy Communities: Enhancing Open Space, Healthy Communities: Advancing Wellness and Safety, and Healthy Communities: Cultivating Food Access.

The reports share that in order to grow most effectively, Utahns must understand and address the underlying factors affecting population health, safety, and nutrition. These reports, made available on the Utah Foundation website, are full of evidence-based recommendations for bettering life in Utah.

Get Healthy Utah

Untitled design 3

 

 

 

 

 

Get Healthy Utah partnered with the Utah League of CIties and Towns to create the Healthy Utah Community designation. This designation, attainable by cities and towns of all sizes, is awarded to communities that implement evidence-based health practices. To earn the designation, a community must submit a letter of commitment, organize a local health coalition, carry out projects that improve nutrition, physical activity, and mental wellness, and draft a 3-year community health plan.

To date, nearly 50 communities have earned the designation, with more applying every year. To learn more, visit  https://gethealthyutah.org/healthyutahcommunity.

 

Healthy Utah Community Highlight

St George Presentation

Following the partner presentations, leaders from a local Healthy Utah Community presented on the ways their city or town promoted wellness and earned the designation. Examples include securing bonds for park and trail expansion, organizing fun community events, and prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations like the elderly. At the end of each presentation, attendees were permitted to ask questions.

 

Group Discussion

Group Discussion

Following the community highlight, Alysia Ducuara from Get Healthy Utah led the attendees in a group discussion. Topics included the assets and barriers that impact health in their local area, and the types of health policy that leaders were most interested in implementing. Answers were shared verbally in the group and through an interactive poll.

 

Roundtable Discussions

Vernal Group Discussion

At the close of the event, attendees were given time to network and visit various roundtables. The roundtables featured local experts who shared resources for building healthy communities. Following the event, attendees were asked to complete an evaluation and were emailed a link to the slides and all content shared throughout the day.

 

Conclusion

Group Photo

The Healthy Communities Roadshow was a great success! A big thank you to all our regional partners and the more than 400 individuals who attended.

For those who missed the roadshow but would like to view a recording, you may access a one-hour webinar version HERE. You may also click HERE to view an eight-minute summary video.

Message from the Executive Director: Updates on Get Healthy Utah

Alysia Ducuara

Alysia Ducuara is the Executive Director for Get Healthy Utah.

Springtime means conference and event season at Get Healthy Utah! From visiting with our parks and recreation champions at URPA in March and presenting to our public health friends at UPHA in April to awarding Salt Lake County Health Department the Diabetes Prevention in the Worksite Award at the UWWC Conference and recognizing our next round of Healthy Utah Communities Designess at ULCT — we have been busy!

Copy of PXL 20240423 162905879.LONG EXPOSURE 01.COVERWe are closing up our first-ever Healthy Communities Roadshow and have enjoyed visiting all of our communities across the state. After our tenth roadshow event in Vernal, we have met with over 400 participants representing elected officials, city/town staff, regional/county staff, transportation and city planners, public health and healthcare professionals, community members and more! It was great being able to connect with everyone in person, discuss how we can continue to build healthy communities, and be inspired by the passion and work of everyone prioritizing the health and quality of life of Utahns! We hope everyone who attended was able to take some action steps back to their communities. For those who missed an in-person event, we will be hosting a virtual webinar version of some of the roadshow presentations, along with a summary of our roadshow takeaways.

IMG 4851We also recently had our annual Advisory Council and Board Retreat meetings! This is another great opportunity to connect in-person with various leaders across our partner sectors, give updates, and discuss the future direction of our organization. The role and power of Get Healthy Utah to convene and align efforts across sectors continues to be recognized and valued by our partners. We will continue to build on our pillars of convene, educate, amplify, and advocate for healthy communities! Please take our 10-year impact survey to give us feedback on what value Get Healthy Utah has brought to you, your organization, and your community and what we should prioritize in the next 10 years. We are grateful to all of you for being a part of this work! 

Guest Post: Introducing Bike Utah’s Community Assistance Program

Trilby Cox

Trilby Cox is Co-Executive Director for Bike Utah, a Utah-based nonprofit. Bike Utah is partnering with Get Healthy Utah and Move Utah for the Connected Communities Summit this fall.

Bike UtahBikeUtah Wide is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission of making Utah a better place to ride. We envision a Utah where complete active transportation networks and thriving cycling culture contribute to livable, connected, healthy communities, allowing everyone to ride regardless of age, ability, race, or income. 

Throughout its nineteen year history, a number of passionate and dedicated staff, board, and volunteers have worked towards that mission through a number of programs and initiatives, focusing on education, planning, and advocacy efforts. A lot of good work has been accomplished over the years. In 2022, the Utah State Legislature tasked Bike Utah with conducting a year-long assessment of cycling needs throughout the state. Completed in June 2023, our findings revealed something beyond the needs of Utah’s residents. Bike Utah’s two main programs (the Bicycle and Safety Education Training (BEST) Program and the 1000 Miles Program) were addressing the needs of those for whom the programs were designed for, but we realized that by combining the efforts of BEST, 1000 Miles, and adding other community engagement, planning, and policy activities we were already doing, we could deliver a more holistic approach to serving Utah communities. 

In October 2023, with support from the Utah Highway Department of Public Safety, the Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake County, and various foundations, Bike Utah implemented the Community Assistance Program, with all of our work guided by the Five Elements that are key to successful cycling communities in Utah. Our education, engagement, and planning teams work together with community groups, schools, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and government agencies to identify and address community-specific barriers to cycling in order to create a safer and more bike-friendly environment that is meaningful to residents. 

Examples of our assistance can include, but are not limited to: 

  • Active transportation planning, 
  • Tactical urbanism/pop-up projects, 
  • Safe routes to schools planning, 
  • Safe cycling training and implementation, 
  • Bike bus training and implementation, 
  • School program support, 
  • Bike maintenance events, 
  • Community workshops, 
  • Community rides and events. 

Although Bike Utah’s Community Assistance Program is still relatively new, we have already accepted a good number of applications and are excited to be working with communities across the state to support their plans to make Utah a better place to ride.

Are you interested in how you can partner with Bike Utah? Visit Bike Utah's website to fill out an application today!