''Health Impact Assessments Take on Broader Role in Cities and States''
Aaron Wernham, director of the Health Impact Project discusses the benefits of health impact assessments in this edition of Governing.
More infoNewPublicHealth spoke with Pamela Russo, M.D., M.P.H., a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, about the Foundation’s investments to increase the use of health impact assessments and the contents of the National Research Council report, which sets standards for terminology and HIA practice with a thorough explanation of the steps in an HIA. Among its recommendations, it calls for collaboration at all levels of government to support the incorporation of health considerations into decision-making.
...
NewPublicHealth: Health impact assessments have been conducted in the U.S. for a while. Why is the Foundation a proponent of HIAs, and why was there a need for this report now?
Pamela Russo: Over the past ten years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has invested in a variety of different types of projects and programs meant to demonstrate, document, and increase awareness that health – an individual’s health or a population’s health– is influenced not simply by the medical care that they get, but probably much more strongly by where they live, what kind of job opportunities they have, what their economic status is, what the physical environment around them is like—including environmental exposures and access to healthy opportunities. HIA is a very practical way to bring that concept into decisions that are being made, and we thought it is an incredibly promising tool, but there wasn’t a standard approach to practice."
- Date added:
- Sep 8, 2011
- Project:
- Health Impact Project
- Topic:
- Health Impact Assessment
Related Resources
New Projects Bringing Health Considerations into Education, Energy Policy, and Other Decisions
The Health Impact Project announced eight new grant recipients that will receive funding to conduct health impact assessments, or HIAs. The projects will bring health considerations into upcoming decisions on topics including education, sanitation infrastructure, and energy. The grantees were selected based on their response to a national call for proposals.
More infoThe Rise of HIAs in the United States
The field of health impact assessments is growing quickly as more and more cities and states are finding HIAs to be a useful way to bring health ino the conversation. View the infographic for more information about the rise of HIAs in the United States. More infoNational Public Health Week
This year's celebration of National Public Health Week (NPHW) focuses on the theme, "Public Health is ROI: Save Lives, Save Money." Join us in recognizing the work of Pew's Health Initiatives. More infoGreenville Conducts Health Impact Assessment
The city of Greenville, South Carolina recently completed a yearlong health impact assessment with support from Pew's Health Impact Project.
More infoFunding Available in Minnesota to Identify Health Opportunities, Risks of Upcoming Decisions
The Health Impact Project announces a request for proposals (RFP) that will fund three grants of up to $100,000 each to identify and address potential health impacts of an upcoming decision in each of their communities or state through the use of health impact assessments (HIA).
More info''Construction That Focuses on Health of Residents''
The New York Times interviews Aaron Wernham, project director for the Health Impact Project, about the growing field of health impact assessments.
More infoTraining Available In Minnesota To Build Healthier Communities Through Health Impact Assessment
Minnesota organizations are invited to participate in an in-person training to learn about health impact assessments (HIAs). An HIA can help improve the well-being of local communities by incorporating health into decisions in other sectors.
More info''Report: Cutting School Junk Food Boosts Kids’ Health, Doesn’t Hurt School Budgets''
"A new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concludes that getting rid of junk food at school boosts kids’ health and doesn’t hurt schools financially. Even many snack food companies are on board."
More info''Group recommends raising nutrition standards in schools''
"'The evidence is clear and compelling,' said Jessica Donze Black, director of the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project in a press release. 'Implementing strong national nutrition standards to make the snacks and beverages our children consume healthier is something that schools and districts can afford. The USDA should do all it can to finalize and help implement strong standards.'"
More info''Taking Health Into Account''
Aaron Wernham, director of the Health Impact Project, explains how by systematically assessing the health risks of development decisions upfront, health impact assessments can prevent costly and harmful mistakes.
More info''School lunches healthier, Administrators work to balance nutrition with appeal to students''
"A study released late last month delivers the message: Make competitive foods offered in schools healthier, too. The study was a collaboration between the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and came from two projects, the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project – the director, Jessica Donze Black, is a University of Delaware graduate – and the Health Impact Project."
More infoFunding Available to Bring Health Into Decision in Non-Health Sectors
The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, announced a call for proposals for grants to conduct health impact assessments (HIAs). HIAs identify and address the health impacts of decisions in other sectors, such as planning roads, passing agriculture legislation, or siting schools.
More infoCollaboration Examines Impact of Updated USDA Standards
Pew and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation collaborate to examine impact of updated USDA standards for snack and a la carte foods and beverages sold in schools.
More info''New school nutrition standards on horizon''
"A recent study has reaffirmed what local school officials already knew: Student health and school budgets can both benefit from higher nutrition standards."
More info
