Healthy people in healthy places.
“The way we design and build our communities can affect our physical and mental health. Healthy community design integrates evidence-based health strategies into community planning, transportation and land-use decisions.” – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What are healthy communities?
Where you live and the things around you can affect your health. What improves health?
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- Good parks.
- Pedestrian and bike friendly streets.
- Places to gather in the community.
- Considering health in planning decisions.
Why build healthy communities?
Healthy community design can increase:
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- Physical activity.
- Safety.
- Access to healthy food.
- Improve land, air, and water quality.
- Strengthen community resilience and improve quality of life.
- Access to livelihood, education, services, and resources.
We ensure communities are healthy and sustainable when we:
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- Encourage land use and transportation planners to think about people’s health and the health of the environment.
- Get affected communities to help shape the planning process.
- Address gaps in health.
- Reduce health risks.
How can you get involved?
Are you a planner, transportation, or health professional? Join our Healthy Community Planning Interest Group. We:
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- Promote learning opportunities to create healthy communities.
- Identify best practices to reduce health disparities.
- Provide technical assistance, resources, and community planning support.
Contact Erin Dilworth at edilworth@tpchd.org or (253) 722-4287 to learn more.