Health and Equity in Chicago: Health in All Policies and the Englewood Line Trail Health Impact Assessment

Achieving healthy and equitable environments requires innovative and collaborative work by communities, government agencies, and traditional and nontraditional public health partners. Among its challenges, the integration of a Health in All Policies lens across sectors is paramount. In a panel moderated by the Illinois Public Health Institute, staff from the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development and community organization Grow Greater Englewood will discuss a spectrum of activities that demonstrate the integration of health into decision-making across sectors. Discussion will include the development and implementation of Chicago’s Green Healthy Neighborhoods Plan, Chicago’s food plan, and the Healthy Chicago Public Health Agenda; fostering collaborative relationships between City departments; and community organizing around plans and activities that relate to health.

The session will highlight the Englewood Line Trail Health Impact Assessment (HIA) that is being conducted to inform development along a disused rail line that runs through Chicago’s Englewood and West Englewood communities.  In order to provide recommendations that are evidence-based, actionable and reflective of community priorities, the Englewood Line Trail HIA process is rooted in strong collaboration between City agencies, public health partners and community stakeholders and residents. The Englewood Line Trail is in early stages of development, so the HIA is able to provide recommendations related to short-term and long-term aspects of the trail development including: trail design to address community safety, plans to incorporate workforce development into the trail’s creation, community cohesion, a vision for urban agriculture and community revitalization, and environmental health.