Abilene Awarded as Heart and Stroke Healthy City
By: Joey Hollingsworth
Updated: June 22, 2011
The Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke recently awarded Abilene a Gold recognition level for the 2010 Heart and Stroke Healthy City Assessment. The Council's Texas Heart and Stroke Healthy City Recognition Program honors cities that advance recognized best practices for preventing and controlling heart disease and stroke.
The program helps bring into focus cities that raise the bar in cardiovascular health. The recognized cities were found to be best prepared, based on an assessment of recognized best practices in policies and environmental changes. The Council encourages greater participation in existing programs and development of new initiatives for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Ten indicators are used to determine recognition as a Heart and Stroke Healthy City. Environmental indicators include offering physical activity areas, healthy eating options, defibrillators and CPR classes in the community. Policy indicators include smoke-free ordinances, an EMS system with priority response times to 911 calls for heart attacks or strokes and recognized guidelines for the care and treatment of heart attack and stroke in hospitals.
Dr. Michael M. Hawkins, M.D., council member of the Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, will present an award to community partners in honor of the Gold recognition level. The presentation will take place at the upcoming City Council meeting, Thursday, June 23 at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall located at 555 Walnut St.
More information about the Heart and Stroke Healthy City Recognition Program can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services web site at www.texascvdcouncil.org.
The program helps bring into focus cities that raise the bar in cardiovascular health. The recognized cities were found to be best prepared, based on an assessment of recognized best practices in policies and environmental changes. The Council encourages greater participation in existing programs and development of new initiatives for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Ten indicators are used to determine recognition as a Heart and Stroke Healthy City. Environmental indicators include offering physical activity areas, healthy eating options, defibrillators and CPR classes in the community. Policy indicators include smoke-free ordinances, an EMS system with priority response times to 911 calls for heart attacks or strokes and recognized guidelines for the care and treatment of heart attack and stroke in hospitals.
Dr. Michael M. Hawkins, M.D., council member of the Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, will present an award to community partners in honor of the Gold recognition level. The presentation will take place at the upcoming City Council meeting, Thursday, June 23 at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall located at 555 Walnut St.
More information about the Heart and Stroke Healthy City Recognition Program can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services web site at www.texascvdcouncil.org.
