1. Health Impact Assessment for Healthy Places: A Guide for Planning and Public Health

2. Today’s Agenda Introductions and Envisioning Exercise 6 Modules: Introduction to HIA and Buford Highway Screening Scoping Assessment Reporting Evaluation Conclusions and Next Steps

3. Module 1: Introduction to HIA Goal: To understand what an HIA is and the benefits and value of conducting an HIA when making decisions about policy and projects. Health Impact Assessment for Healthy Places: A Guide for Planning and Public Health

4. Module 1: Objectives 1.Define what an HIA is 2.Determine why and when an HIA should be used 3.Identify the values that underpin an HIA 4.Define the role of the community 5.Describe the relationship of an HIA to an EIA 6.Identify the HIA steps

5. Public Health and Planning Public Health Built Environment PlanningHIA HIA

6. Public Health and Planning Planning + Public Health Healthy Communities Healthier Population

7. Public Health and Planning Commonly used planning terms: Zoning Density Connectivity Urban Sprawl Allied movements in Urban Planning: New Urbanism Smart Growth

8. What is an HIA? An HIA is a combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population, and the distribution of those effects within the population. -WHO Gothenberg consensus paper 1999

9. Why Should You Use an HIA? To focus the attention of decision-makers on the health consequences of projects and policies they are considering To encourage a better informed decision with respect to health

10. When Should You Use an HIA? As early as practical in decision making process Ideally HIA requested by decision makers Sufficient details about the project or policy When an HIA still has the potential to affect decisions As part of ongoing work and relationship building ProposalHIADecision

11. What Values Underpin an HIA? Democracy Equity Sustainable Development Scientific and Robust Practice Holistic Approach to Health

12. Benefits of Community Involvement Increases buy-in Identification of social issues and health issues Address community concerns Builds community capacity

13. Challenges of Community Involvement Increased time and resources needed to conduct an HIA Conflict between lay and expert knowledge Difficulty in identifying and engaging all stakeholders

14. Environmental Impact Assessments 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) The purpose of NEPA is to protect the “human environment” and “stimulate the health and welfare of man” (NEPA, 1979, sec. 2)

15. Bringing Health to EIA: Opportunities for Involvement Serve as a “Cooperating Agency” in the development of health-related sections Participate in public review of an EIA Providing technical support

16. Challenges of Incorporating HIA into EIA  Long, complex documents  Time-consuming, expensive and litigious  Focus on projects not policies  Focus on adverse effects  Often too late to affect design  Funded by decision proponent  “Reactive” public involvement HIA components could logically fit within an EIA but...

17. Steps in Completing an HIA 1.Screening 2.Scoping 3.Assessment 4.Reporting 5.Evaluation

18. Introduction to Buford Highway CDC http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2010/07/27/buford-highways-dangers-to-pedestrians-gets-pbs-treatment

19. Highlights on Buford Highway Death and Injuries: 3x higher than anywhere in GA; last decade nearly 30 killed and over 250 injured 8 of 30 miles considered very hazardous; 7 lanes of traffic; 45 mph speed limit High transit use; long blocks and limited crosswalks Low socioeconomic status and Minority populations