Arthritis Program Partnerships

Addressing arthritis productively requires a shared vision and the coordinated work of many organizations. The CDC Arthritis Program partners with the organizations listed below and others to work toward reducing the burden of arthritis in America.

Active Living Partners

Active Living Partners, a division of Human Kinetics, Inc., administers Active Living Every Day, a community-based behavior change program that teaches lifestyle skills to change behavior helping people become and stay physically active. Active Living Partner’s mission is to help people improve their health and quality of life. Toward this goal they produce educational tools and programs that address physical inactivity and unbalanced eating for the general public as well as health and fitness professionals. Active Living Partners provides training, resources, and on-going support for Active Living Every Day program facilitators. CDC is working with Active Living Partners to increase the reach of Active Living Every Day, an evidence-based physical activity program for adults.

More information about Active Living Partners

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Administration on Aging

The Administration on Aging (AoA) is the Federal agency responsible for advancing the concerns and interests of older people and their caregivers. AoA works with and through the Aging Services Network to promote the development of a comprehensive, coordinated and cost-effective system of home and community-based services that helps elderly individuals maintain their health and independence in their homes and communities.

More information on AOA.

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American Chronic Pain Association

Since 1980, the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) has offered peer support and education in pain management skills to people with pain, family and friends, and health care professionals. ACPA works to facilitate peer support and education for individuals with chronic pain and their families so that these individuals may live more fully in spite of their pain. Moreover, ACPA raises awareness among the health care community, policy makers, and the public at large about issues of living with chronic pain.

Read more information about the American Chronic Pain Association

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American College of Rheumatology

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), an organization of physicians, health professionals, and scientists, advances rheumatology through programs of education, research, and advocacy that foster excellence in the care of people with arthritis and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. ACR provides educational offerings, such as annual scientific meetings, and publishes Arthritis and Rheumatism and Arthritis Care and Research, the premier scientific journals for research in the rheumatic diseases. ACR fosters the careers of young investigators and provides research funding through the ACR Research and Education Foundation.

More information about the American College of Rheumatology.

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American Physical Therapy Association

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is an individual membership professional organization representing more than 80,000 member physical therapists (PTs), physical therapist assistants (PTAs), and students of physical therapy. APTA seeks to improve the health and quality of life of individuals in society by advancing physical therapist practice, education, and research, and by increasing the awareness and understanding of physical therapy's role in the nation's health care system.

More information about the American Physical Therapy Association.

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Arthritis Foundation

The Arthritis Foundation has been the voice for people with arthritis and their families for more than 50 years. The Arthritis Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions with information, services, and research. Through its chapters, the Arthritis Foundation provides community-based programs such as the Arthritis Self Management Program, Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, and the Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program.

More information about the Arthritis Foundation. Read about the "Moving is Medicine" campaign.

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Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals

The Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP), a division of the American College of Rheumatology, is a professional membership society composed of nonphysician health professionals specializing in rheumatology. ARHP sponsors an annual scientific meeting and publishes Arthritis Care and Research monthly. ARHP also produces other educational tools such as Clinical Care in the Rheumatic Diseases and the ARHP Teaching Slide Collection for Clinicians and Educators, Assessment and Management of the Rheumatic Diseases, 3rd Edition.

More information about the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals.

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Directors of Health Promotion and Education

The Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) is a professional association whose mission is to strengthen public health capacity in policy and in systems change to improve the health of all and achieve health equity.

More information about the Directors of Health Promotion and Education.

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Fit & Strong! (University of Illinois at Chicago)

The Center for Research on Health and Aging at the University of Illinois at Chicago created and disseminates Fit & Strong!, an award-winning, multi-component, evidence-based physical activity program for older adults. This eight-week program targets older adults with osteoarthritis and has demonstrated significant functional and physical activity improvements in this population.

More information about Fit & Strong!

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Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) is a national nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the cause and cure for lupus. Its mission is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of lupus, support individuals and families affected by the disease, increase awareness of lupus among health professionals and the public, and find the cause and cure.

More information about the Lupus Foundation of America.

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National Association of Chronic Disease Directors

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) provides leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control at the state and national levels. NACDD links the chronic disease program directors from all states and territories to provide a national forum for chronic disease prevention and control efforts. NACDD works to reduce the impact of chronic diseases by advocating for prevention policies and programs, encouraging knowledge sharing, and developing partnerships and resources for health promotion.

NACDD has eight Councils—Arthritis being one of them—to address the unique needs related to specific chronic diseases, advance prevention and control efforts in those areas, and expand professional development for chronic disease staff with common program interests.

More information about the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.

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National Conference of State Legislatures

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues. NCSL strives to improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures, promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures, and ensure state legislatures a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

More information about NCSL.  

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National Council on Aging

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. Our mission is to improve the lives of older Americans.  NCOA focuses on helping seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities.  NCOAs The Center for Healthy Aging connects community organizations with proven programs that empower older adults to manage chronic disease, stay physically active, eat well, and more.

More information about NCOA.

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National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

The mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases is to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases.

More information about NIAMS.

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National Recreation and Park Association

Seventy percent of Americans have a park or recreation facility within walking distance of their home.  The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is dedicated to educating professionals and the public on the essential nature of parks and recreation. Through learning opportunities, research, and communications initiatives, NRPA strives to generate significant public support for our movement in order to advance the development of best practices and resources that will make parks and recreation indispensable elements of American communities.

More information about NRPA.

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Osteoarthritis Action Alliance

The mission of the OA Action Alliance is to work collectively to advance the recommendations outlined inA National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis [PDF - 175KB] by promoting action to prevent and control OA and its progression through proven interventions, public policies, communication strategies and enhanced research initiatives.

For more information about the work of the Alliance and how to join, visit: http://www.oaaction.org/ or  http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/resources/spotlights/oa-action.htm .

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Senior Services/Project Enhance

Project Enhance (the Senior Wellness Project) provides health and disease management programs to seniors: Project Enhance administers two community-based health programs for older adults—EnhanceFitness® (formerly the Lifetime Fitness Program) a group based physical activity program, and EnhanceWellness (formerly the Health Enhancement Program). These evidenced-based programs are founded on years of solid scientific research and hands-on experience. They are offered at senior centers, hospitals, YMCA's and other fitness facilities, assisted living facilities, and a variety of community centers around the country. Project Enhance is one of the programs/services offered by Senior Services in Seattle, Washington.

More information about ProjectEnhance.

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Stanford Patient Education Research Center

The Stanford Patient Education Research Center is part of the Stanford University School of Medicine, located in Palo Alto, California, U.S.A. The mission of the Patient Education Research Center is conducting research to develop programs that are tested for effectiveness with randomized, controlled trials. The aim of the programs developed is to improve the physical and emotional health of participants while reducing health care costs. Over the past 24 years, the Stanford Patient Education Research Center has developed, tested, and evaluated self-management education programs for English and Spanish speakers with chronic health conditions. All programs are designed to help people gain confidence in their ability to control their symptoms and how their health problems affect their lives. Examples of such programs are the Arthritis Self Management Program and the Chronic Disease Self Management Program, and the Spanish language version of these programs.

More information about the Stanford Patient Education Research Center.

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U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative

The United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI) is the U.S. National Action Network of the worldwide Bone and Joint Decade which is a multi-disciplinary initiative targeting the care of people with musculoskeletal conditions--bone and joint disorders. As part of a worldwide movement, the USBJI is coordinating activities in the United States to improve patient care, to promote research, and to advance understanding and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.

More information about the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative.

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YMCA of the USA

The Young Men’s Christian Association of America (YMCA) operates 2,686 YMCAs in communities across America. These YMCAs are poised to respond to critical social and health needs by drawing on their collective strength as of one of the largest not-for-profit community service organizations in the United States. YMCAs serve 21 million children and adults of all ages, races, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels. At every stage of life, YMCAs are there to help children, families and individuals reach their full potential.

More information about YMCA.

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