Our Story

Since 2014, the Walker County Health Action Partnership (HAP) has worked through community organizations, neighborhood coalitions and local advocates to support substantial improvement in the health outcomes of Central Alabama residents.

With the support of three anchor organizations: Walker Area Community Foundation, United Way of Central Alabama, Capstone Rural Health Center, and Brookwood Baptist Health System, a formally defined structure and operational guidelines for achieving the Health Action Partnership’s mission of making Walker County a healthier place to live, learn, work and play was created. Health Action Partnerships are community-based and address the issues recognized as priorities by residents and stakeholders. This partnership model has the unique power to weave together collaborative efforts large and small to drive collective impact.

Our Mission:

The Health Action Partnership collaborates to make Walker County a healthier place to live, learn, work, play.

Our Vision:

Walker County is a healthy, thriving, and connected community, and is recognized as such statewide and nationally.

Since its inception, the Walker County Health Action Partnership has leveraged over $1.6 Million dollars in local, state, and federal funding to improve health outcomes. On a smaller scale, the Health Action Partnership has helped foster community-based collaborations and mobilized local support to drive community change. Currently, Health Action Partnerships are operating in Jefferson and Walker Counties, and the model is adaptable to work with diverse stakeholders in rural and urban settings.

Local Context: County-Specific Approach for Regional Impact

According to 2016 Census estimates, the population of Walker County was 65,593 with 74.1% of the population living in rural areas. The county’s overall racial/ethnic population is 91.2% white, 5.9% black or African American, and 2% Hispanic. Jasper is the largest city in Walker County and the county seat, with an estimated population of 14,137. The median household income in 2016 was $37,025, compared with $44,758 for the state as a whole, and the per capita income was $20,410, compared with $24,736 for the state as a whole.

Coal and timber industries continue to be important components of the local economy, but 2018 data from the Alabama State Department of Labor showed the number of jobs statewide in coal mining decreasing each year since 2012, with Walker County’s numbers cut in half during the same period. High levels of poverty in the county have led to an increased risk of many chronic conditions, inadequate nutrition, lack of healthcare access, greater academic achievement gaps, and depression. Walker County residents experienced poor physical and mental health days at higher rates than the Alabama average, and this issue is especially significant in a rural community already designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as Medically Underserved.

According to the 2019 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) County Health Rankings, Walker County is ranked 60 out of 67 counties in Alabama for overall health outcomes. The lowest rankings are in length of life (66), quality of life (42), and social and economic factors (40). Walker County was home to Alabama’s highest opioid prescription rate, according to Drug Enforcement Administration data recently made public by The Washington Post. With an estimated 65,000 residents, Walker County pharmacies received nearly 9 million prescription pain pills per year between 2006-12. The opioid epidemic and its impact on health has taken a tremendous toll on the county, and efforts are underway to build a system of supports to address addiction and recovery needs.

To address the breadth of factors that influence community health, the Walker County Health Action Partnership (WCHAP) was formed in 2014. The WCHAP is anchored by the Walker Area Community Foundation, United Way of Central Alabama, Capstone Rural Health Center, and Brookwood Baptist Health System, and these organizations have committed to the long-term sustainability of the partnership.

The WCHAP is part of a growing county-specific partnership network that is working to improve regional outcomes in alignment with the Bold Goals Coalition of Central Alabama (BGCCA). BGCCA is a community-based initiative to align efforts and address disparities in health, education, and financial stability in the Central Alabama region. Established in early 2014, the Bold Goals Coalition is committed to fostering change by examining root causes, establishing common, measurable goals and aligning current efforts. This collective impact process encourages collaboration and uses an “upstream” approach to make a greater impact, especially for populations in Central Alabama experiencing continued disparities in outcomes.

Statistics

Current Work

Health Action Partnership Priority Groups are organized around the three following priority Priority Groups and include a wide array of cross-sector partners working together around shared objectives and strategies to improve community health in Walker County. A Health Action Partnership Leadership Team works with Priority Groups to shape strategic plans, build collaborations and connect with resources.

• Livable Communities Priority Group: To increase opportunities for physical activity, the Livable Communities Priority Group is working to equip Walker County with safe places to walk, ride bicycles, or just play. This group is working to create an environment where it’s easy to get to the places you need to go, whether it’s walking to school or to shops or to visit friends. More safe sidewalks and trails improve foot traffic and reduce time spent riding in cars and buses. Walker County has opportunities to increase our greenways, blueways, and open spaces with rails-to-trails projects, access to Black Water Creek, and more success stories like the “pocket” park in Jasper.

• Behavioral Health Priority Group: The Behavioral Health Priority Group’s goal is to improve community health of Walker County residents by creating a comprehensive network of prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery resources related to addiction and mental health.

  As part of a year-long planning process, WCHAP developed five objectives to achieve that goal:

  1. Community education on risks, harms, and resources.

  2. Prevention and intervention by health professionals.

  3. Equitable and timely treatment options

  4. Community-led life-long recovery support.

  5. Healthy lives for those affected by addiction and mental health.

  For more information, visit https://www.walkerrecoverymap.org/.

Our Achievements

These are just a few examples of successful projects and ongoing work through the Health Action Partnership:

• Walker County Waterways

  Did you know Alabama has more than 5,000 miles of accessible waterways that could be an avenue for community recreational use? As part of the Livable Communities priority group, we are developing access to Walker County waterways to expand outdoor recreational opportunities as well as promote ecotourism. Through public-private partnerships, partners are currently working to develop a 31-mile blueway, or water-based trail, to create greater access to physical activity opportunities. By leveraging natural resources, the Waterways Project will connect seven access points along two waterways, creating 31 miles of new scenic, public green space. Impact: Three new access points have been created and two existing access points were improved.

• Leveraged Funds: Through public-private partnerships, leveraged over $2 million in funds & in-kind services to develop infrastructure and programs throughout Walker County to enhance health behaviors to improve overall community health outcomes.

 Walker County Sites

How Can I Join?

If you are not already a Health Action Partner, and would like to learn how to get involved, please call the Walker Area Community Foundation at (205) 302-0001.

The Partnership welcomes as potential partners any agency, organization or group with a stake in the health of the community, including governmental, private non-profit, business, faith-based and community-based organizations. Membership is currently offered at no cost but involves the commitment to serve as an active member of a Health Action Partnership Priority Group. Most Health Action Partnership events and workshops are open to the general public.