Creating Healthier Places

Des Moines Area Community College

2017 Progress Report

Year Committed: 2015
Length of Commitment: 3 years
Select a Progress Report:

Committed to meet guidelines—developed by PHA in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading nutrition, physical activity and campus wellness experts—around nutrition, physical activity, and programming on campus.

Verified Results

  • Implementation Date

    September 2018

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Provide, without a user fee, sixteen (16)-hour per day access to at least one (1) fitness or recreation center for all students.

    Progress To Date

    Des Moines Area Community College provides students with access to the Trail Point Aquatics and Wellness Center for 15.1 hours per day, on average, over each week.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2018

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer a minimum of twenty (20) diverse recreation, physical activity/movement or competitive sports opportunities during each academic year.

    Progress To Date

    Des Moines Area Community College offers a diverse range of recreation, physical activity and competitive sports opportunities each year, including 19 unique group fitness classes, 27 different intramural and four extramural sports opportunities, one club sport, three physical activity clubs and five water fitness classes.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2018

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Implement a program/policy that supports and accommodates breastfeeding for individual on campus.

    Progress To Date

    Des Moines Area Community College supports and accommodates breast feeding mothers on campus with a policy ensuring breastfeeding mothers are allowed break time and appropriate space to express breast milk. Two designated breastfeeding rooms are available on campus. Additionally, the campus childcare facility provides refrigeration and maintains its own policy to support breastfeeding mothers and infants.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2018

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer a rewards-on-benefits structured program that gives insurance premium discount and/or rebates to individuals on campus who participate in a wellness program designated by the health insurer or campus

    Progress To Date

    Des Moines Area Community College offers the Healthy Connections Points Program where employees receive a $50 gift card for completing an online wellness assessment, a biometric screening and an annual exam. Employees are also entered into bi-monthly drawings for participating in additional prevention and well-being activities such as taking a course to advance career goals, financial planning, physical activity, volunteering and assessing emotional health.

Partner Statement

“DMACC is actively working to complete the guidelines developed by PHA in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading nutrition, physical activity and campus wellness experts. DMACC is proud to be part of the PHA initiative as we work to build a healthier future for our children and fight childhood obesity. DMACC was the first in Iowa and the second Community College in the nation to sign on with PHA, as we move Iowa towards being the healthiest in the nation. We are working toward completing the guidelines this year and will continue to look for ways to support good health for our students, staff and faculty.”