As health educators, we give advice to people about what
they need to do to be healthier. But is giving advice enough,
or do we have a role in also ensuring that taking that advice
is an easy choice for our community members?
- When we advise
them to eat more fruits and vegetables every
day, do we look into whether or not they have access to
fresh
fruits
and
vegetables in their neighborhood?
- When we tell them to
get more physical activity, do we also check to
see if they live
in a neighborhood where they feel safe to go
outdoors and be physically active?
- When we advocate for a drug-free
lifestyle,
do we also work to ensure that tobacco, alcohol
and other drugs are not easily accessible in their community?
Working
in the area of the built environment (referring
to the human made surroundings that provide the setting for
human
activity,
ranging from the large-scale civic surroundings
to
the personal places) gives us the opportunity to engage
partners that
we in public health may not normally work with
such as
city planners, developers, transportation leaders,
etc.
The resources
in this section are some of the most current
information found to assist in this exciting area of work
for
health educators. We hope to keep this section updated
and encourage you to contribute to the collection by
emailing relevant
materials to our web master.
Health Officers Association
of California (HOAC) Legislation Alerts
http://www.calhealthofficers.org/legislation.htm
As part of it's mission to improve public health
practices in the State of California, HOAC promotes and
supports legislation which will accomplish the objectives
and purposes of the corporation. This page on their website
includes bills of interest to the health officers (updated
daily during session), an annual legislative calendar,
and information on previous years' public health related
bills, including those that were signed or vetoed by the
Governor.
California Center for Physical
Activity: Built Environment Project
http://www.caphysicalactivity.org/lphbe.html
The LPHBE Network project provides resources, training,
and networking opportunities for California's local public
health departments that see the built environment, community
design, and transportation infrastructure as important
factors in overall public health.
Public Health Law & Policy: Planning for Healthy Places
http://www.healthyplanning.org/
Planning for Healthy Places at Public Health Law & Policy
works to engage public health advocates in the land-use
decision-making process throughout California. We develop
tools for training advocates in the relationship between
the built environment and public health, and provide technical
assistance for creating and implementing land use policies
that support healthier communities.
If you have suggestions for content you would like to see
added to this section, please contact the CCLDHE
Webmaster.
