Identifying Ways to Effectively Work across Sectors: Establishing and Implementing a “Health in All Policies” Framework in Los Angeles County

Health is determined primarily by factors such as income, education, and the environments where people live, work, and play that are outside the direct control of the health sector. Health in All Policies (HiAP) is an approach that aims to identify and address the potential health benefits, harms, and related costs of decisions in other sectors. Despite HiAP’s potential to more fully address the social determinants of health, concrete methods and examples for how to implement HiAP are lacking.

This presentation will describe the approach taken by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to develop the Health Impact Evaluation Center, which aims to work across sectors and inform decisions that impact health. Presenters will describe the development and the evolution of the center over the past three years, with focus on strategies used and lessons learned in developing cross-sector relationships, incorporating health into short and long-term decision-making processes, and integrating evaluation and data systems. Case examples will include a) a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on a proposal to provide free public transit passes to students, b) an evaluation of a juvenile justice system diversion program, and c) a Delphi process to prioritize program and policy interventions to reduce school truancy. Public health and other practitioners can use the tools, case examples, and lessons learned to help further identify ways in which cross-sector engagement and activities can be integrated into their work.