Establishing meaningful community health planning partnerships using health in all policies principles

Community Transformation is a movement taking place across the nation that is changing the way we address health and the prevention of chronic diseases. Houston Community Transformation is a Houston Department of Health and Human Services initiative focused on impacting health at the population level through policy and systems interventions which lead to enhanced livability of the community and improved health. It has been widely recognized that a key strategy to successful community health planning is creating and developing partnerships across government sectors. It has also been widely acknowledged that working across sectors is difficult. Utilizing the global principles of Health in All Policies is an essential element in the public health movement taking place in communities around the country in order to build meaningful partnerships that can lead to positive changes in public policy. Developing a culture of cooperation that can bridge the long-standing practice of government silos to achieve a more joined-up approach amenable to allowing a role for the health sector at the table with city departments including Planning, Public Works and Engineering, Transportation and other nontraditional health partners is a complex goal. The Houston Community Transformation Initiative has integrated the Health in All Policies approach as the core component into the partnership creation and development process. Through this method of engagement the initiative has begun creating regular platforms for dialogue with other arms of city government to find or create opportunities for collaboration that achieve their goals and in doing so also advance health.