CAMARILLO: City And District Collaborate On Health Project

      Camarillo city officials and representatives of the Camarillo Health Care District met Tuesday "to discuss the California Healthy Cities Project, a program designed to help local government agencies pool their resources to improve [health care] service to residents." Jane Rozanski of the special district said, "The idea is to share resources, to look at the limitation of duplication of resources." Tuesday's meeting included "brainstorming" for ways the city and district could collaborate to improve health care for residents. Previously, the district "contracted with the city to help meet transportation requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act." Rozanski said that in addition to improving health, the "healthy cities" concept is about "improving the general quality of life in a community." The Ventura County Star reports that the original healthy cities project "was founded by the World Health Organization in 1987 to help cities to develop infrastructure to make the task of health care workers easier." Other California cities -- including Ventura -- have similar projects, and "cities all over the world" -- Toronto, Liverpool, Kyoto, Bangkok and Teheran -- participate in versions of the project. Mike Morgan, a councilman for Camarillo, said he believes "the Camarillo Recreation and Park District, the Pleasant Valley School District, the Oxnard Union High School District, along with the city, health care district and law enforcement officials" will participate in the project (Davis, 8/27).