Ten Public Health Institutes Chosen for In-Depth HIA Training

GRANTEE NEWS

The Health Impact Project and National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) have chosen the 10 public health institutes (PHIs) that will participate in a two-day, in-person, health impact assessment (HIA) training at the Pew Conference Center in Washington, DC, November 29-30, 2011. This joint initiative, announced in July, is an opportunity for PHIs from around the country to receive training and potentially conduct an HIA upon returning home to help local decision makers identify and address the health impacts of proposed policies and projects in other sectors. The 10 PHIs selected to participate in the November HIA training include:

• Institute for Public Health Innovation (DC metropolitan region)
• Florida Public Health Institute
• Illinois Public Health Institute
• Kansas Health Institute
• Health Resources in Action (MA)
• Michigan Public Health Institute
• North Carolina Institute of Public Health
• Public Health Management Corporation (PA)
• South Carolina Institute for Medicine and Public Health
• University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

As part of the joint effort, the Health Impact Project and NNPHI will fund two additional HIA demonstration projects from amongst the selected PHIs.

The collaboration also selected Oregon Public Health Institute and Georgia Health Policy Center to serve as two new HIA training centers. Both states are leaders in the fast-growing field of HIA and are finding opportunities to make health an everyday part of public decision-making through the application of HIA, using a model that best suits their capacity and needs.

In Oregon, a robust network of experienced HIA practitioners has arisen among government, state and local health departments, and nonprofit organizations. The Oregon Public Health Institute has worked on HIAs including:

• Portland to Lake Oswego Transit Project, 
• SE 122nd Ave Pilot Project/East Portland, and 
• Transportation Policy Recommendations in the Eugene Climate and Energy Action Plan.

In Georgia many educational institutions have become forerunners in conducting HIAs in the state. The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at Georgia Tech University has conducted several HIAs including an HIA of the Atlanta Regional Plan 2040 and an HIA of Aerotropolis Atlanta. 

Health Impact Project and NNPHI awardee, The Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University, completed an HIA on Fort McPherson Interim Zoning. 

The training centers established at these institutions will fill a gap in the field by training leaders at public health institutes and organizations all throughout the country, as well as increasing the availability and geographic diversity of HIAs.