Amerigroup and Simply Healthcare Launch Effort to Help Miami Teens Engage in Healthy Lifestyles, Reduce Obesity and Prepare for Academic Success

Free Teen Dance Classes Kick Off with Miami Dade College Readiness
Event in Little Haiti on March 24

MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Amerigroup–Amerigroup Florida and Simply Healthcare Plans, leading providers of
Florida Medicare and Medicaid managed care services, have joined the
City of Miami as sponsors of iDance Miami, an after-school dance and
health education program for Miami youth ages 13-17. Teens enrolled in
the 10 week program will be provided transportation to one of eight city
parks, where they will form dance teams and work with professional
instructors to prepare to showcase their acquired skills during the Hip
Hop for Health Showcase—an event that draws spectators from all of
Miami-Dade and surrounding counties. Participating youth will also
receive nutritional and healthy lifestyles education to improve eating
habits while improving dance performance. The program launches on March
24 at the Little Haiti Cultural Center with Miami Dade College, which
has joined the effort to offer a college readiness conference for
participating youth and their families.

“Innovative approaches to engaging youth in healthy, active lifestyles,
such as iDance Miami, can help us make a dramatic impact on reducing
childhood obesity rates and improving future health outcomes,” said
Lourdes Rivas, Amerigroup and Simply Healthcare Medicaid plan president.
“It’s common to hear about deteriorating health trends among our youth,
such as inactivity that leads to chronic disease, so we are committed to
taking action that puts our kids on a path to a healthier future.”

A Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by Miami-Dade County in
2013 indicated that 9 percent of the county’s high school students were
obese, and 19 percent did not participate in at least 60 minutes of
physical activity on at least one weekday. The numbers were even higher
in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40 percent of
children are overweight or obese.

“Thanks to Amerigroup and Simply Healthcare’s support, we can engage
approximately 120 – 160 Miami teens in at least four hours a week of
fun, energetic physical activity and nutritional education that can make
a big difference in improving health and self-confidence,” said Zhaoming
Guan, City of Miami superintendent of recreation. “Through this program,
we are able to provide an activity that teens are interested in and help
to exchange unhealthy habits for an active lifestyle that the
participants can adopt for lifelong benefits.”

The program will encourage youth, their families and friends to make
healthy habit and lifestyle changes. Transportation to weekly activities
and the culminating dance showcase will be provided for youth to and
from each of the eight City of Miami host parks. Since physical activity
and nutritional habits will both be a focus during the program, pre- and
post-assessments will help participants track metrics, including: the
total number of hours each participant spends dancing in both organized
weekly practices and at-home practice; healthy changes in eating habits;
and dance performance improvements. ChooseMyPlate.gov will help
participants identify nutrition improvement opportunities. Nutritional
snacks will be provided to youth during each practice, and the program
will include several lessons on nutritional education. The program will
be offered from 6 to 8 p.m. – hours of the day when teens tend to get in
trouble and most of the youth delinquency tends to occur.

There is no cost to teens and their families to participate and
opportunities to enroll are still available by contacting the City of
Miami Parks at 305-416-1300 or visiting www.miamigov.com/parks.

About Amerigroup Florida and Simply Healthcare Plans

Amerigroup Florida and Simply Healthcare Plans are managed health care
providers that serve Medicaid, Florida Healthy Kids, Long-Term Care
(LTC) and Medicare program members in Florida. Through our Clear Health
Alliance organization, we also serve Floridians who are eligible for
HIV/AIDS Medicaid specialty health plan services. Together, we serve
more than 600,000 Floridians. Across the nation, our family of health
plans serves more than 40 million members, and 1 in 8 Americans is
served by our family of companies. Our health plan members are assured
care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive,
integrated and patient-centered. Each and every day, members of our team
can be found in Florida communities, listening to our members,
interacting with our health care providers and partnering with
community-based organizations to execute health education initiatives.
Our goal is to ensure members and entire communities are empowered to
become active participants in their health care and sustain healthy
lifestyles. To learn more about Amerigroup Florida, visit www.myamerigroup.com/FL.
To learn more about Simply Healthcare Plans, visit www.simplyhealthcareplans.com.

Contacts

Amerigroup Media Contact:
Denise Malecki
813-830-6986
dionisia.malecki@anthem.com