Improving the health and well-being of communities with a strategic community-driven planning process

The physical and social environments where people live, work, and play shape their health. Improving community environments requires an integrated approach without sectoral borders that engages community residents and public agencies in working together to identify priorities and strategies to enhance livability. Such collaboration creates positive change in organizational practices and local policies that determine environments and norms.

Prevention Institute, in partnership with Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley's office, engaged in an 18-month livability initiative in 2007-2008 designed to empower community members in six urban neighborhoods, together with county and other public-sector jurisdictions, to effect positive changes in their communities. Through open forums, a joint leadership committee, and 6 topic-driven task forces, community participation and leadership was cultivated and developed. The process began with the identification of key issues, then the identification and prioritization of projects and indicators of success that would address the issues, and finally a set of catalyst projects that address community priorities and substantially improve the livability of the area.

This session will present participants with a process for community-driven initiatives targeting underlying factors affecting health and livability. The community engagement process was designed using THRIVE (Tool for Health and Resilience in Vulnerable Environments), a tool developed by Prevention Institute for the Office of Minority Health to help community members understand and prioritize the factors that most influence their health and safety and develop strategies that address prioritized factors. Participants will be introduced to the use of THRIVE as a framework in diverse settings.