State Resources
From Healthy Family Wiki
2-1-1 is the national abbreviated dialing code for free access to health and human services Information and Referral. 2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember and universally recognizable number that makes a critical connection between individuals and families seeking services or volunteer opportunities and the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies. 2-1-1 makes it possible for people to navigate the complex and ever-growing maze of human service agencies and programs. By making services easier to access, 2-1-1 encourages prevention and fosters self-sufficiency. It also is hoped that it will reduce the number of non-emergency calls inappropriately made to 911.
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers is a statewide association representing and serving the needs of the state's 52 community health centers through grassroots advocacy; technical assistance with state and federal health regulatory and policy issues; training and education for administrators, clinicians and board members; help with information technology development; work with local health and advocacy organizations seeking to open health centers in their communities; and as an information source on community-based health care to policymakers, opinion leaders and the media.
Official Website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The official MA state website documents state agencies, online services, research papers, and general information on a range of public health topics.
Also visit the website of the MA Nutrition and Physical Activity Unit. The resources link on that page will direct you to some downloadable pdfs. According to the site, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Nutrition and Physical Activity Unit works at the national, state and local level to promote nutrition and physical activity policies, systems and practices that help prevent and control chronic disease and contribute to healthy communities.
The Nutrition and Physical Activity Unit serves as a resource on nutrition and physical activity to other programs within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and as well as to local communities.
Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Weight
Mission: The Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Weight strives to reduce chronic disease through community action and public policies that promote healthy eating, active living, and healthy weight among all Massachusetts residents.
Few public health challenges are more important today than stopping the epidemic of overweight and obesity. More than half of all adults and a quarter of high school students in Massachusetts are now too heavy for optimal health. The excess weight increases their risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. Obesity is second only to smoking as a preventable cause of death in the United States.
In 2000, the Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Weight formed to combat this problem. The Partnership unites more than 100 groups committed to reducing overweight and obesity in Massachusetts into a coalition for change. Its goal is to catalyze and support initiatives that remove barriers and increase opportunities for healthy eating, active living, and routine screening for, diagnosis, and treatment of overweight and obesity.
Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse
This website has a selection of health promotion brochures and information packets. Available in different languages, these materials are free to print and distribute.
