The built environment impacts public health in numerous and profound ways.
A key goal of the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is to help communities improve public health outcomes by making active living convenient and attractive and increasing access to healthy food and essential services. Accomplishing this requires cross-sector collaboration and a commitment to fully integrating health into comprehensive planning and policymaking.
This website is dedicated to supporting communities, planners, and public health professionals in these important endeavors. Learn more about focus areas, resources, and about a few of the exciting initiatives helping to transform Florida communities.
We also encourage you to visit FloridaHealth.gov for information and guidance on the full scope of FDOH health programs and services.
What’s at stake?
Higher incidence of chronic diseases and the associated social and economic costs are a mounting burden on local communities. Addressing some of the root causes of disease – inactivity and poor diet, in particular – requires re-thinking how communities and neighborhoods are designed. Healthy, active spaces help save lives and improve quality of life.
How we can help?
Thanks to mounting attention to health in the built environment, states and local communities now have access to extensive data, practical tools, and information to support their efforts. Find resources and links to organizations that can provide further assistance, including FDOH, linked above and under the Resources tab at the top of this page.
Where do I start?
Becoming familiar with the planning and policymaking landscape is an important place to start. Learning how to initiate conversations and develop cross-sector collaboration is equally critical. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and ChangeLab Solutions are excellent examples of organizations offering tools and assistance to empower communities and health professionals to take action.