NCHPAD NEWS AND PRODUCTS

Resources for Maintaining New Year's Resolutions

• NCHPAD Personal Trainers Survey: Personal trainers, add your information to the NCHPAD database/online survey at http://www.ncpad.org/trainers/index.php?add=y&mode=1, which can be great advertising for potential clients for New Year's resolutions.
• NCHPAD Parks Survey: Park Managers and Superintendents, add information on your accessible park/recreational opportunity to the database/online survey at http://www.ncpad.org/parks/index.php?SOPE=y&mode=1.
• Other useful factsheets include "Choosing a Fitness Center" (http://www.ncpad.org/308/1909/Choosing~a~Fitness~Center), "How to Choose a Personal Trainer" (http://www.ncpad.org/332/1982/How~to~Choose~a~Personal~Trainer), and "Why It's Called a Health Club" (http://www.ncpad.org/309/1915/Why~It~s~Called~a~~Health~Club~).

Launch of Inclusive Fitness Coalition

NCHPAD and the American College of Sports Medicine have formed a distinguished group of elected leaders, health and fitness professionals, researchers, and other advocates to create the Inclusive Fitness Coalition (IFC). IFC will address policy, environmental, and societal issues associated with the lack of access to physical activity among people with disabilities. The upcoming launch for this exciting initiative will take place on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 (9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EST) at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. To find out more or to apply for coalition membership, please visit http://www.incfit.org/, or call 312-996-5965.

American College of Sports Medicine Certified News Features Disability Awareness

The American College of Sports Medicine recently published a quarterly issue of its Certified News newsletter that is dedicated entirely to disability awareness. This October-December, 2006 issue can be found at http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=ACSM_s_Certified_News&CONTENTID=6155&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm, and features articles from NCHPAD and RIC staff members: "Disability Awareness and Customer Service," by Blythe Hiss, MS and Valerie Lawson, MS, "Designing a Fitness Facility for All," by Amy Rauworth, MS, RCEP, and "Adapting Exercise Programs for Persons with Physical Disabilities," by Mitch Carr, MS Ed.

OTHER NEWS

• The American Society on Aging's Issue Briefs on health promotion for older adults can be downloaded at http://www.asaging.org/cdc/issue_briefs.cfm. Topics include evaluation, building effective partnerships, and cultural competence and health literacy.
• The Environmental Protection Agency's Aging Initiative website (http://www.epa.gov/aging/) includes a variety of factsheets on building healthy communities for active aging.
• The Waterwalking (http://waterwalking.org/) website provides information and products on restoring function and strength through water-based exercise.
• Adaptive Adventures, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is proud to provide the Adaptive Information Resource Center. This is a diverse, effective coordinated network of resources provided for children and adults with disabilities and their families. Go to http://www.adaptiveirc.org/ for more information.
• TASH is an international association of people with disabilities, family members, advocates, and professionals fighting for a society in which inclusion of all people in all aspects of society is the norm. TASH operates over 30 chapters and includes members from 34 different countries and territories. For more information, go to http://www.tash.org/index.html or call 410-828-8274.

MONTHLY NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES

Birth Defects Prevention: National Folic Acid Awareness Week was observed January 9-15. Obtain more information at www.folicacidinfo.org, or at info@folicacidinfo.org or 703-836-6110. The month of January is also National Birth Defects Prevention Month, with more information at www.marchofdimes.com, 888-MODIMES, or askus@marchofdimes.com. Obtain NCPAD-related resources at http://www.ncpad.org/106/813/Cerebral~Palsy;
http://www.ncpad.org/425/2253/Community~Voice~~First-Time~Mom~with~Spastic~Cerebral~Palsy;
http://www.ncpad.org/127/1028/Functional~strength~training~in~cerebral~palsy~~A~pilot~study
~of~a~group~circuit~training~class~for~children~aged~4-8~
years~.

Healthy Weight: Healthy Weight Week was observed January 15-21, with information on healthy lifestyles. Guiding principles include living actively, eating normally and nutritiously, relieving stress, nurturing yourself, and developing relationships. Obtain information at http://www.healthyweight.net/hww.htm, www.healthyweight.net, or 701-567-2646, and consult NCPAD's resources, including nutrition tips for people with disabilities (http://www.ncpad.org/content/12/Health~Promotion~Nutrition) and guidelines on stress management (http://www.ncpad.org/362/2052/A~Primer~on~Stress~Management).