NCPPA

Welcome to the NCPPA’s information page. Geared for State Coalition chairs, district directors, and district representatives, this brief primer provides some basics on the NCPPA and its activities at the national and state levels.

Those four organizations are: the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; the American College of Sports Medicine, which has overall managerial responsibilities for the NCPPA; the Association for Worksite Health Promotion; and the American Heart Association, which provides an NCPPA Office of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Regular not-for-profit membership in the Coalition is open to membership-based organizations that have physical activity and health as a primary mission. There are no dues for such members. Other membership categories are available for other types of organizations with an interest in physical activity and health.

1. NCPPA state coalitions;
2. health communication campaigns;
3. political education and advocacy;
4. behavior change campaign;
5. information resource center;
6. existing program enhancement;
7. Healthy People 2000 and Healthy People 2010;
8. and organizational outreach.

The eight major initiatives of the National Coalition, many of which relate directly to the NCPPA State Coalitions, are briefly described below:

NCPPA State Coalitions – The creation of NCPPA State Coalitions is one of the most important initiatives of the National Coalition. The State Coalitions are the key to achievement at the grassroots level, with State Coalitions being provided a range of tools, reports, alerts, and program options for effective action at the state and community level.

Health Communication Campaigns – There will be annual physical activity and health promotional campaigns at the national, state, and local levels. Mass media tools and promotional kits will be provided to all State Coalitions.

Political Education and Advocacy – The NCPPA will develop and implement a federal and state legislative, administrative, and regulatory agenda for physical activity and health. NCPPA State Coalitions will be provided regular alerts, reports, and calls-to-action for issues pertinent to physical activity and health. An NCPPA Office of Public Affairs is based in Washington, D.C., and is available for information and counsel.

Behavior Change Campaign – The NCPPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are creating a “turn-key” campaign to change physical activity habits. Campaign materials will be offered to the NCPPA State Coalitions and interested organizations.

Information Resource Center – Particularly for use by the NCPPA State Coalitions, a Resource Center will open in mid-1997 and will include examples of projects, samples of materials, case studies, data and other information, as well as assistance in using health messages from the Surgeon General’s Report. Updates on the Resource Center will be provided to the State Coalitions.

Enhancement of Existing Programs – The NCPPA will strive to increase the use and impact of several existing physical activity programs such as PACE (Physician-based Assessment and Counseling for Exercise), which helps improve the ability of physicians to counsel patients about exercise and physical activity.

Healthy People 2000 – The NCPPA will encourage and support relevant organizations to increase their involvement with the activity and fitness aims of the national health objectives.

Organizational Outreach – In encouraging traditional and non-traditional organizations to become involved with physical activity and health, the NCPPA will provide tools, such as lecture slide-sets, to help provide information on the Surgeon General’s Report and physical activity and health to other organizations.

There are two major programmatic areas for all NCPPA State Coalitions: advocacy and community outreach.

• Create (or build upon an existing) advocacy infrastructure, working with NCPPA leadership in the state — such as the Chair, Co-chairs, and other District Directors — as well as other physical activity leaders and organizations in regard to advocacy activities.
• Develop, maintain, and evaluate an advocacy plan of action.
• Cultivate and maintain effective contacts with federal and state officials.
• Effectively represent the views and issues of NCPPA to such officials, and be an information source for the officials.
• Respond to NCPPA calls-to-action and alerts.
• Advise the National Coalition of relevant proposed or pending legislation or developments in the state relevant to physical activity; consult as needed with the National Coalition’s Office of Public Affairs, and take action if warranted.
• Practice advocacy in its broadest sense, focusing not just on the legislative branch of government, but also the executive branch and other parts; focusing not just on government, but also other aspects of the community (e.g., schools, the media, service clubs, etc.).
• Communicate progress to the National Coalition on a regular basis.

• Create (or build upon an existing) community outreach infrastructure, working with NCPPA leadership in the state — such as the Chair, Co-chairs, and other District Directors — as well as other physical activity leaders and organizations in regard to community outreach activities.
• Develop, maintain, and evaluate an community outreach plan of action.
• Cultivate and maintain effective contacts with media, community, and other opinion leaders.
• Effectively represent the views and issues of NCPPA to such officials, and be an information source for the officials.
• Respond to NCPPA media calls-to-action and alerts.
• Implement NCPPA mass media health communication programs and behavior change initiatives, as well as other community outreach.
• Practice advocacy in its broadest sense, focusing on all aspects of the community (e.g., schools, worksites, churches, the media, service clubs, etc.).
• Communicate progress to the National Coalition on a regular basis.

Tools and resources – Before addressing the important leadership responsibilities you have as District Director, it should be emphasized that you will not work alone, but rather as part of a state and national team. Accordingly, there will be a variety of tools, services, information, and materials to assist you. These include:

• the NCPPA Handbook on “Organizing and Operating NCPPA State Coalitions”
• the NCPPA Handbook on “Organizing and Operating NCPPA Advocacy Programs”
• the NCPPA Handbook on “Organizing and Operating NCPPA Community Outreach”
• the National Coalition’s Office of Public Affairs, which will provide:
  • white papers, reports, issue updates, and alerts on federal issues
  • advice, counsel and support on state issues
• the National Coalition Administrative Office and Information Resource Center,
  which will provide:
  • best-case samples of physical activity projects and programs
  • other organizational support
• training opportunities

To find your corresponding Congressional District information, please visit the American Heart Association’s Office of Public Affairs Web site. For more information, contact the NCPPA at (317) 637-0349 or e-mail natcoal@ncppa.org.

Go to the State Chair page

Go to the NCPPA home page

Visit other NCPPA-related Web sites.

Go to the ACSM Online page.