Ports. leaders work for healthier city

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Portsmouth city leaders are excited about a new program to help the city get healthy.

Just last week, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked Portsmouth among the worst in the state when it comes to health.

Now, they have been selected for a national initiative called ACHIEVE. The acronym stands for Action, Communities, for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE.

Leaders made the announcement Tuesday at Park View Elementary School, where the new school is being used as a model for the program.

Before Portsmouth built it, leaders looked at the rising rate of childhood obesity and incorporated child-sized exercise machines into the plan.

CINCH, the Consortium for Infant and Child Health, applied for the grant.

"This puts Portsmouth on a national stage, and they put a lot of faith in us, that things aren't looking too great now, but things are going to be looking up in Portsmouth," said CINCH Director Amy Paulson.

CINCH will work with the Portsmouth Health Department, Portsmouth YMCA and City Managers office to create new policies and change bad habits.

"We have kids out playing sports and in other recreational activities that are standing in a puff of smoke on the sidelines beside parents [who are] smoking, we've got things we can do," said Paulson.

But there's not a lot of money attached to this grant--just $75,000.

Leaders say this is more about changing habits, like decreasing time watching TV in daycares and putting healthier options in vending machines.

If you have any ideas for the team to look into contact CINCH at cinch@evms.edu or call 757-668-6426