MountainElements: 8-County Regional HIA on Comprehensive Planning
- Location
- Franklin, North Carolina
- Organization(s)
- MountainWise

MountainWise, a collaboration of eight public health departments in Western North Carolina, is conducting an eight county health impact assessment (HIA) called MountainElements that will inform decisions about each county’s comprehensive plan, focusing on the transportation and parks and recreation sections of each plan. Three plans are currently under development and two will begin soon. Three plans are currently adopted and will require an update; the MountainElements HIA is serving as a catalyst to update these plans by conducting a retrospective HIA on the existing plans. MountainElements is focused on economic growth, job creation, mobility, access to nature, and creating healthy conditions for all residents. In addition to conducting the HIA, MountainElements will also develop health and wellness elements for comprehensive plan integration in all eight counties.
Western North Carolina generally has poorer health conditions when compared to statewide averages for key health indicators. Based on Census and North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics data, the HIA will recommend areas where specific small area plans or other interventions may have the greatest impact.
MountainWise is supported by a North Carolina Community Transformation Grant and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More Information
- HIA Website:
- http://mountainwise.org/mountainelements/
- Contact Email:
- sarah@mountainwise.org
HIA in the United States
Sort and analyze data on HIA’s and understand their impact on supporting healthier communities in all regions of the country.
At A Glance
- Status
- In Progress
- Decision-Level
- County
- Sector
- Built Environment
- Organization Type
- Nonprofit
Related Materials
- A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of Park, Trail, and Green Space Planning in the West Side of Greenville, South Carolina
- Aberdeen Pedestrian Transportation Plan
- Above the Falls Master Plan HIA Project Brief-Lao Translation
- Above the Falls Master Plan HIA Project Brief-Spanish Translation