A Healthy Community is where people come together to make their community better for themselves, their family, their friends, their neighbors and others in their community.
A Healthy Community creates ongoing dialogue; generates leadership everywhere; shapes its future; embraces diversity; knows itself; connects people and resources; and fosters a sense of community.
Healthy
Community coalitions/groups in Massachusetts, like communities the world over
who have joined the Healthy Communities movement, work together on local issues
that affect health and quality of life, such as:
Public health concerns such as heart
disease, substance abuse & air quality;
Housing and education;
Youth development;
Access to health/medical care;
Child care and elder care;
Recreation;
A clean and healthy environment;
A safe environment;
Arts and cultural pursuits; and
Transportation.
Who is involved in creating a Healthy Community?
People are the key to a Healthy Community. Individual participants come in all ages, from all educational and economic backgrounds, and from all sectors of the community. Groups that may be involved include:
Municipal & local government and
planners;
Local business, industry, economic
development
Civic/cultural groups
CHNAs
Local residents
Faith organizations
Hospitals and health care organizations
Health and social service organizations
Youth groups/organizations
Education
Local newspapers, local radio and TV
Community foundations
Recreational groups and facilities
The arts
Grassroots organizations and
Environmental organizations.
How do you build a Healthy Community?
Local residents work together in an existing or new coalition or group to:
Decide what health means for their
community;
Learn more about the healthy communities
approach;
Study the needs and assets of the
community;
Identify problems and strengths in the
community; and
Set goals to help the community build on
its assets and become healthier.
Using the goals, the coalition/group sets priorities and develops a plan of action.
The whole community works together with the coalition/group on the plan of action.
The coalition/group reports on successful outcomes to the community.
The process continues with the community building on its successes, setting new goals, initiating new activities and continuing the process of improvement.
This one page description was adapted, with permission, from a
brochure developed by the Maine Dept. of Human Services, Bureau of Health,
Division of Community Health