Partner Spotlight: The Iowa Health and Human Services Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Team

The Iowa Health and Human Services Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Team is leading the efforts with the Food, Nutrition, and Health (FNH) chapter of the Iowa Food Plan. This team includes public health professionals and dietitians that lead initiatives to improve access to resources and opportunities that allow Iowans to eat a healthy diet and live an active lifestyle. The HEAL team uses evidence-based approaches to educate individuals and families about nutrition and physical activity, and work with communities to establish and enhance policies, systems and environmental (PSE) changes that support healthy eating and active living.

The HEAL team has a longstanding history and commitment to organizing state and local organizations to work towards improving food and nutrition insecurity and physical activity access. This has been done by leading the HEAL Partnership (formerly the Iowa Nutrition Network Partnership) for over 25 years. The group fosters collaboration, sharing and open communication to amplify the voices of those experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. Data-driven decision-making is a priority to advance effective solutions to improve food and nutrition policies, systems and environments throughout Iowa. The Iowa HEAL Strategic Plan guides the Partnership’s efforts and was written in conjunction with the FNH chapter of the Food Plan.

Website: https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/programs-and-services/healthy-eating-active-living 

If you have questions about the Food, Nutrition, and Health chapter you can contact Jill Lange (jill.lange@hhs.iowa.gov) or Haley Huynh (haley.huynh@idph.iowa.gov).

If you have interest in the HEAL Partnership you can contact Laura Paulsen (laura.paulsen@idph.iowa.gov).