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Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health is proud to recognize 46 communities as 2018 Healthy Community Champions. Florida’s county and municipal governments play an important role in improving the health of all communities and people. Local governments have implemented a variety of policies that have been shown to increase physical activity and improve nutrition. Between February and April 2018, local governments were invited to submit best practices to demonstrate how they met the Healthy Community Champion criteria.

“I am pleased to recognize local communities who have shown a special commitment to improving the health of their residents” said State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip. “Their efforts to implement policies that empower residents and visitors to improve their health are an important part of creating healthy environments throughout Florida.”

The Healthy Community Champions provides an opportunity to highlight local governments that have focused on improving the built environment. The department defines the Built Environment as the places where people live, work and play (e.g., homes, buildings, streets, open spaces and infrastructure), food environments (e.g., supermarkets, corner stores, farmer’s markets and food pantries), and other environmental influences (e.g., indoor/outdoor air and water quality, noise pollution and environmental toxins).

The built environment can influence residents’ physical, nutritional, and mental health within their community through policies designed to provide adequate access to physical activity opportunities, adequate access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods, access to health care and a reduction or elimination of environmental health risks to the community. Through communities working to implement policies within the built environment, a greater level of social connectedness can be experienced. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social connectedness is achieved through strong formal relationships between organizations and support services designed to help better ensure that services are delivered and promote a person’s sense of well-being.

The 2018 Healthy Community Champions are listed below by county.

• Alachua County
  • City of Newberry
• Brevard County
  • Town of Indialantic
• Broward County
  • City of Coconut Creek
  • City of Deerfield Beach
  • City of Fort Lauderdale
  • City of Hollywood
  • City of Miramar
  • City of Oakland Park
  • City of Tamarac
  • City of Weston
  • City of Wilton Manors
• Charlotte County
  • Charlotte County
• Clay County
  • Town of Penney Farms
• Collier County
  • City of Naples
  • Collier County
• Flagler County
  • City of Bunnell
• Franklin County
  • City of Apalachicola
• Glades County
  • Glades County
• Gulf County
  • City of Port St. Joe
• Lake County
  • City of Clermont
• Lee County
  • City of Sanibel
• Leon County
  • Leon County
• Manatee County
  • Manatee County
• Marion County
  • City of Belleview
  • Marion County
• Miami-Dade County
  • City of Doral
  • Town of Cutler Bay
  • Town of Miami Lakes
• Okeechobee County
  • Okeechobee County
• Orange County
  • City of Apopka
  • City of Orlando
  • Town of Eatonville
• Osceola County
  • Osceola County
• Pinellas County
  • City of Largo
• Polk County
  • City of Lakeland
• Putnam County
  • Putnam County
  • Town of Interlachen
  • Town of Pomona Park
• Sarasota County
  • City of Sarasota
  • Sarasota County
• Seminole County
  • City of Casselberry
  • City of Oviedo
  • City of Sanford
• Volusia County
  • City of New Smyrna Beach
  • City of Ormond Beach
  • Town of Ponce Inlet

About Healthy Community Champions

To learn more about Healthy Community Champions and for a list of the 2018 Champion Communities and best practices, please visit the Healthy Community Champions 2018 Recognition Program website.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.