Monica Baskin, PhD, professor at the UAB Division of Preventive Medicine, was recently installed as president of Jefferson County Health Action Partnership. The Partnership is a community health-oriented collaboration of more than 80 organizations, including the United Way of Central Alabama, Jefferson County Department of Health, UAB and Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

Achievements of the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership include comprehensive smoke-free policies throughout the county; 41 miles of fully funded or completed bike and pedestrian pathways; increases in fresh fruit and vegetable purchases by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients by 60 percent; and nutrition education, workshops and equipment for physical activity in 12 Jefferson County school systems.

"I am excited to lead the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership," Baskin said. "I hope to maintain the forward momentum of this coalition and continue to mobilize action to assist the inhabitants of Jefferson County."

The partnership's current priority areas include promoting physical well-being through healthy lifestyles, improving mental health, optimizing the built environment, reducing health disparities associated with race, ethnicity and economics, and optimizing health care access. Health Action partners work together around these shared objectives and strategize to improve community health through changes to policies, systems and environment.