Health in All Policies in disaster planning and recovery

Natural and man-made disasters present a constant, even increasing threat to community health. At the same time, recovery processes offer the possibility of rebuilding communities to be healthier than they were before a disaster. In 2008, a hurricane in Galveston, Texas badly damaged or destroyed 75% of the homes and businesses on the island. In response, the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities began developing evidence-based analyses and proposals for improving community health through the recovery process, using a community-engaged model for action. Efforts ranged from education, to policy analysis, to Health Impact Assessments, to master plan reviews, and included a variety of topics such as parks, housing, food security, transportation, and neighborhood development. Although the built environment was a clear interest, efforts also worked to improve healthy social environments, and built environments were examined in terms of their impact on social cohesion. This presentation will provide an overview of the entry points that were used to build discussions as well as specific tools and efforts to encourage adoption of pro-health recovery and planning.