Healthy Places by

Design

Municipal Planning

for a Healthier Public

What led us here:Little Change & Lots of Effort

What led us here:Equity and Social Determinants

A New Approach

• Research showing how place impacts health• Synergy between planning and health

– We work towards many of the same things!

Partnerships

• Department of Health:– Increased physical activity– Increased consumption of healthy foods– Decreased barriers to healthy choices– A way to communicate with planners

• Statewide Planning– Better integration of public health and land use in

the State Guide Plan and local Community Comprehensive Plans

Assess the situation…

New approach is needed

Strong research for environmental design

Synergy & Partnerships

Receptive planners

Funding

Healthy Places by Design

Community Partners Municipalities

Dept of HealthTraining

Technical assistanceGuidance

LinksEvaluation

Bottom Up/Top Down ChangeHealthy Communities Plan

PartnershipsEngaged & empowered residents

Assets and gaps ID’dShared decision making

Healthy Community

Research to Action: Part 1Healthy Communities Plan to define

recommendations

1. Literature Review

2. Recommendations by DOH Community Planner

3. Review by healthy Places Advisory Committee

4. Feedback Sessions with Municipal Planners

The Healthy Communities PlanContent3 Goals(Objectives, Policies & Strategies developed for each)

1) The built environment of every city and town in Rhode Island is supportive of and encourages walking and bicycling for transportation.

2) Rhode Island will have a statewide network of greenspaces and greenways that will embrace every Rhode Island community, with no Rhode Islander living more than 15 minutes from a greenspace or greenway.

3) The built environment of every city and town in Rhode Island provides convenient access to nutritious foods for all residents.

Research to Action: Part 2

Fund 3 municipalities and their CBO partners to:

1. Complete assessments of the built environment and their comp plans

2. Receive trainings on related health and planning topics

3. Undergo a “charrette” public participation process

4. Consider changes to their Comprehensive Plans5. Consider changes to other local policies

Selected one urban, one suburban and one rural municipality to serve as examples

Pilot the HCP and Change Process

Questions for the Pilot Communities

1. How well did the process work? What were the successes and challenges?

2. How did partnerships support policy changes? How did they affect public participation?

3. What have been the successes and challenges of adopting policies and strategies in local Comprehensive Plans?

Healthy Places by Design

Where are they now?