The Fulton County Board of Health (FCBOH) will officially launch its collaboration with the City of College Park to launch a public education campaign called “Healthy Looks Good On You”, addressing the primary risk factors associated with chronic diseases. These health concerns include poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and tobacco use. The collaboration will be part of a celebration at College Park City Hall (3667 Main St, College Park, GA 30337) on Friday, April 5, 2024, at 3 pm.

“We are pleased to partner with the City of College Park on this concerted effort to make one of our Fulton County cities healthier,” says Fulton County District Health Director Dr. Lynn Paxton. “At the Board of Health, we encourage this effort to show our communities how to take better care of and responsibility for their health.”

The city sought out the assistance of the FCBOH after College Park’s leadership expressed concerns about excessive use of 911 services for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions such as diabetes, and hypertension. College Park public safety officials saw firsthand the toll these conditions took on their residents and enlisted the Board of Health to educate them on actions they could take to live healthier lifestyles. FCBOH is providing support on messaging, advertising, and outreach to the community about improving health care outcomes.

“As a city that is concerned for the well-being of its citizens, we are excited to work on this effort with the Fulton County Board of Health to help our citizens live healthier lives,” says Joe Carn, Ward II Councilman for the City of College Park. “We see the opportunity to encourage better health outcomes as a win-win for the people of Georgia’s Global City.”

The campaign will reach out to the city’s 13,942 residents to tackle the following issues:

• Smoking: Approximately 20% of adult residents in College Park are smokers.
• Obesity: 38.7% of residents report obesity.
• Diabetes: 13.7% have been treated for or diagnosed with diabetes.
• Food Environment: The city includes zip codes with a high concentration of fast-food restaurants and food deserts.

FCBOH and the City worked with a communications firm to develop “Healthy Looks Good on You”. The messaging will be delivered through advertising on social media, at MARTA shelters, and on billboards. The campaign was funded by the Fulton County Board of Health and grant funding from the Georgia Department of Public Health. The campaign calls on residents to contact the Board of Health’s Community Health Worker for chronic diseases who is trained to bridge the gap between communities and the services they need to be healthy.