News and Resources

Health Disparities/Health Equity

• The Leadership for Healthy Communities Action Strategies Toolkit
  An outline of numerous policy strategies designed to reduce childhood obesity and create healthier communities
  http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/actionstrategies

Health and Place 

• Leadership for Healthy Communities
  Guide for creating a regulatory blueprint for healthy community design http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=145
  
• National Center for Environmental Health: Healthy Places
  Info about the interaction between people and their environments and the connection to public health
  http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/
  
• Public Health, Law and Policy: Planning for Healthy Places
  Resources on a broad approach to health including land use, economic development, built environment, and other policy strategies
  http://www.healthyplanning.org/
  
• PolicyLink Center for Health and Place
  Equitable development approach to advancing policies that eliminate adverse neighborhood health conditions
  http://www.policylink.org/HealthAndPlace/default.html
  
• Prevention Institute   
  Resources, tools, publications dedicated to community health improvement through primary prevention
  www.preventioninstitute.org
  
• Prevention & Wellness Memo
  A PolicyLink and Prevention Institute memo with recommendations
  for spending wellness funds in the Recovery Act of 2009.
  Prevention Wellness Memo.pdf
  
• Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts 2nd Edition  
  Report linking the sensitivity of health to the social environment and relating this knowledge to public policy
  http://www.euro.who.int/document/e81384.pdf
  
• Strategies for Enhancing The Built Environment to Support Healthy Eating and Active Living
  A resource to identify policies and opportunities towards building healthy environments
  http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/CP_Built%20Environment_printed.pdf
  
• The Children’s Environmental Health Institute
  Site provides info and resources for finding solutions to address adverse health effects to children occurring as a consequence of exposure to hazardous environmental substances
  http://www.cehi.org/index.html
  
• Trust for America’s Health
  Information, publications, and policy aimed at improving the health of Americans
  http://healthyamericans.org
  
• Why Place Matters: Building a Movement for Healthy Communities
  Report on the impact of place on health. A framework for building healthy communities
  http://www.policylink.org/documents/WhyPlaceMattersreport_web.pdf

• Active Living by Design
  Resources and insight on innovative approaches to increase physical activity and healthy eating through community design, public policies, and communication strategies
  http://www.activelivingbydesign.org/ 
  
• Alta Planning and Design
  Improving communities through transportation, recreation planning, and environmental awareness
  www.altaplanning.com
  
• American Society of Landscape Architects
  Power point presentations with background info and resources making the case for designing healthy communities
  http://www.asla.org/members/ppl/healthy_communities.html
  
• Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII)
  Information, resources, tools, publications, and policies to help confront health inequities
  http://www.barhii.org/index.html
  
• CDC Healthy Community Design
  Podcasts discussing the benefits of walkable communities as they relate to health, the environment, and social interaction
  http://www.cdc.gov/HEALTHYPLACES/healthy_comm_design.htm
  
• Designing Active Communities; Promoting Healthy Lives
  Success stories from state and local leaders
  http://www.activeliving.org/node/536
  
• General Plans and Zoning
  Toolkit on land use and health
  http://www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html
  
• Healthy Community Design
  Information about built environment strategies that can encourage active living
  http://www.ncsl.org/programs/environ/healthyCommunity/landuse.htm
  
• Healthy Community Design; Access to Healthy Food Legislation  
  Searchable database for legislation on a variety of healthy living issues
  http://www.ncsl.org/programs/environ/healthyCommunity/healthycommunity_bills.cfm
  
• Healthy Development Measurement Tool
  Comprehensive evaluation metric to consider health needs in urban development planning
  www.thehdmt.org
  
• Human Impact Partners   
  Toolkit for community based planning as well as evidence base for health impacts of planning projects
  http://www.humanimpact.org/Tools.html
  
• Local Government Commission  
  Principles, information, and resources for creating livable communities
  http://www.lgc.org/community_design/index.html
  
• National Association of County and City Health Officials
  Searchable database of tools for healthy community design
  http://www.naccho.org/toolbox/program.cfm?id=14&display_name=Healthy0Community0Design
  
• Pedestrian Injury Forecasting Model 
  Tool to inform the need for pedestrian safety and improvements in the course of land use and transportation planning
  http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/HIA_Tools_Ped_Injury_Model.htm
  
• Create and Implement Healthy General Plans
  Toolkit providing steps for public health advocates and city planners to work together to create healthy, sustainable communities
  http://www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html 
  
• Public Policy and Advocacy
  Link to resources and toolkits that help community-based organizations build public policy and advocacy capacity to identify community health needs and solutions
  http://www.calendow.org/Article.aspx?id=1800&ItemID=1800
  
• Solutions for Healthier Communities
  Tool presenting strategies to encourage healthier communities
  http://www.sightline.org/research/sust_toolkit/solutions/healthy-comm
  
• The Leadership for Healthy Communities Action Strategies Toolkit
  An outline of numerous policy strategies designed to reduce childhood obesity and create healthier communities
  http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/actionstrategies
  
• The Impact of the Built Environment on Community Health
  Report highlighting the connection between features of the built environment and the growth in chronic health conditions, and opportunities for establishing new policy and regulatory frameworks to promote healthy living
  http://www.policylink.org/documents/builtenvironment_final.pdf
  
• The Influence of Community Factors on Health: An Annotated Bibliography
  Highlights groundbreaking research on how community factors affect health http://www.policylink.org/pdfs/AnnotatedBib.pdf
  
• The Use of Zoning to Restrict Fast Food Outlets: A Potential Strategy to Combat Obesity
  Report on using zoning as a strategy for creating healthy community environments
  http://www.publichealthlaw.net/Zoning%20Fast%20Food%20Outlets.pdf

Nutrition

• Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  Links to major nutrition related resources and information for dietary planning, recommendations, and policy initiatives
  http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/
  
• Food and Nutrition Information Center
  Resources for nutrition and health professionals, educators, government personnel, and consumers
  http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=4
  

• Healthy Youth! Nutrition
  Links to reports and data from the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
  http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/index.htm 
  
• Nutrition in Children and Adolescents Knowledge Path
  Comprehensive resource list encompassing a vast array of information relative to child and adolescent nutrition including policy targets and environmental change issues, in addition to others
  http://mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_childnutr.html  
  
• California Center for Public Health Advocacy
  

  Resources and information related to mandatory menu labeling requirements
  www.publichealthadvocacy.org
  
• Center for Science in the Public Interest
  Resources on menu labeling initiatives, policy, legislative action, etc.
  http://www.cspinet.org/menulabeling/

Parks/Open Spaces

• Hearts N’ Parks
  National community-based program supported by NHLBI and NRPA designed to help park and recreation agencies encourage heart-healthy lifestyles
  http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/obesity/hrt_n_pk/
  
• National Recreation and Park Association
  Resources on parks and recreation programs and links to policy, public health, etc.
  http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=25
  
• Parks, Public Health and Partnerships
  Power point on linking public health to parks and recreation policies, resources, partners, etc.
  http://www.nga.org/cda/files/070202KATHY_SPANGLER.PPT#256,1,Parks,
  
• Rails to Trails
  Policy action and resources for promoting trail creation
  http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/index
• The Leadership for Healthy Communities Action Strategies Toolkit
  An outline of numerous policy strategies designed to reduce childhood obesity and create healthier communities
  http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/actionstrategies

Physical Activity

• Active for Life
  Resources for increasing physical activity levels in adults over the age of 50
  http://www.activeforlife.info/default.aspx
  
• Active Living Research
  Tools and resources on the prevention of childhood obesity in low-income and high-risk racial/ethnic communities. Research examining environmental and policy influence on active living for children and families
  http://www.activelivingresearch.org/
  
• Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents Knowledge Path
  Comprehensive resource list encompassing a vast array of information relative to child and adolescent physical activity including policy targets, environmental change issues, etc.   
  http://mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_phys_activity.html
  
• State-based Physical Activity Program Directory
  Searchable database of physical activity programs involving state departments of health
  http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DNPAProg/
  
• US Physical Activity Statistics
  Statistical data on physical activity patterns and behaviors http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/stats/index.htm

Reports and Recommendations for Healthy Eating, Active Living

• Expert Committee Recommendations on the Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity
  http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/433/ped_obesity_recs.pdf
  
• Healthy People 2010
  Goals and recommendations for achieving national health standards
  www.healthypeople.gov
  
• Joint US – Mexico Workshop on Preventing Obesity in Children and Youth of Mexican Origin
  IOM’s summary on the special case of Mexican-American children and obesity
  http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11813
  
• Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance (2004)
  IOM’s national strategy and recommendations for preventing childhood obesity    
  http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11015#toc
  
• Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity:  How do we measure up? (2006)
  IOM’s update to Preventing Childhood Obesity
  http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11722#toc
  
• Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities In Health Care
  IOM report highlighting the health disparities among minority populations and advancing solutions to narrow the gap
  http://www.iom.edu/?id=16740

Safety/Violence

• Life and Death from Unnatural Causes
  Executive summary on health and social inequity in Alameda County http://www.acphd.org/AXBYCZ/Admin/DataReports/unnatural_causes_exec_summ.pdf 
  
• Public Health Approach to Violence 
  Paper on the causes of violence and the public health approach to its prevention
  http://www.preventioninstitute.org/violence.html
  
• Violence Prevention
  CDC’s public health approach to violence prevention
  http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/PublicHealthApproachTo_ViolencePrevention.htm
  
• WHO World Report on Violence and Health
  Links to summary, abstract, and report http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/

School and Workplace Institutional Policies

• FIT Kids Act
  Description of act and links to legislative language. FIT Kids Act would amend the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act to require that all schools, districts, and states include the quantity and quality of PE in the “report cards” currently sent to parents.     
  http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3010851
  
• General Overview of Physical and Nutrition Intervention Programs
  http://chp.ilsi.org/NR/rdonlyres/097AD629-5EF5-451C-97ED-C03BA170A233/0/SchoolHCCommtyProgramsListILSICHP93007.pdf
  
• Healthier Worksite Initiative
  CDC HWI toolkits to address workforce health promotion http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/hwi/toolkits/index.htm#Eating 
  
• Healthy Schools Healthy Youth
  Links to key strategies, programs, data, and other info for promoting youth health
  http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/index.htm
  
• Kellogg Foundation Toolkits
  Toolkits for communication, evaluation, and policy programs
  http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=112&NID=196&LanguageID=0
  
• Oregon School Siting Handbook
  Planning for schools and livable communities
  http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/TGM/docs/schoolsitinghandbook.pdf
  
• The Leadership for Healthy Communities Action Strategies Toolkit
  An outline of numerous policy strategies designed to reduce childhood obesity and create healthier communities
  http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/actionstrategies
  

  Tools for Healthy Eating, Active Living

  • Bicycle Environment Quality
    Tool to assess the bicycle environment on roadways Index to evaluate streetscape improvements and promote bicycling
    http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/HIA_Tools_BEQI.htm
    
  • Childhood Obesity: The Role of  Health Policy
    A report to the 2nd national childhood obesity congress on the role of policy in reversing the childhood obesity epidemic
    http://www.nichq.org/NR/rdonlyres/971DFA0A-C2B7-4245-82FD-0A6286D340FA/0/obesity_policy_report_v5.pdf
    
  • Create and Implement Healthy General Plans 
    Toolkit providing steps for public health advocates and city planners to work together to create healthy, sustainable communities
    http://www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html
    
  • General Plans and Zoning
    Toolkit on land use and health
    http://www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html
    
  • Healthier Worksite Initiative
    CDC HWI toolkits to address workforce health promotion
    http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/hwi/toolkits/index.htm#Eating
    
  • Healthy Development Measurement Tool
    Comprehensive evaluation metric to consider health needs in urban development planning
    www.thehdmt.org
    
  • Health Impact Assessment
    Tool to objectively evaluate potential health effects of a project or policy before it is implemented
    http://www.cdc.gov/HEALTHYPLACES/hia.htm
    
  • How Walkable is Your Community
    Tool for assessing/evaluating the walkability of your community
    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/ped/walk1.html
    
  • Human Impact Partners
    Toolkit for community based planning as well as evidence base for health impacts of planning projects
    http://www.humanimpact.org/Tools.html
    
  • Kellogg Foundation Toolkits
    Toolkits for communication, evaluation, and policy programs
    http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=112&NID=196&LanguageID=0
    
  • National Association of Chronic Disease Directors: Obesity
    

    The NACDD’s obesity resource page including a link to SAY (Shaping America’s Youth) Survey to improve nutrition and increase physical activity
    http://www.chronicdisease.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3325
    
  • National Association of County and City Health Officials  
    Searchable database of tools for healthy community design
    http://www.naccho.org/toolbox/program.cfmid=14&display_name=Healthy0Community0Design
    
  • Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index
    Tool to assess the quality of the physical pedestrian environment and inform pedestrian planning needs
    http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/HIA_Tools_PEQI.htm
    
  • Pedestrian Injury Forecasting Model
    Tool to inform the need for pedestrian safety and improvements in the course of land use and transportation planning
    http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/HIA_Tools_Ped_Injury_Model.htm
    
  • Solutions for Healthier Communities
    Tool presenting strategies to encourage healthier communities
    http://www.sightline.org/research/sust_toolkit/solutions/healthy-comm
    
  • Walk Score
    Making the case for walking; rankings for walkable cities; get the walk score for your city www.walkscore.com

  Transportation

  • Complete the Streets
    Information and resources about the national campaign to create streets that are safe and accessible for motorists and pedestrians
    http://www.completestreets.org/
    
  • Evaluating Transportation Equity
    Paper providing guidance on incorporating equity impacts into transportation planning
    http://www.vtpi.org/equity.pdf
    
  • Integrating Public Health Objectives in Transportation Decision-Making
    Report exploring how transportation decision-making can better support public health objectives
    http://www.vtpi.org/AJHP-litman.pdf
    
  • Healthy, Equitable Transportation: Policy: Recommendations and Research
  This PolicyLink and Prevention Institute Book highlights key policy solutions and provides background on the federal surface transportation policy –a key opportunity at our fingertips today.
  http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245a9b44-6ded-4abd-a392-ae583809e350%7D/HEALTHTRANS_FULLBOOK_FINAL.PDF
  • Reconnecting America
    Best practices in  transit-oriented development and development-oriented transit
    http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/public/practices
    
  • Safe Routes to School
    Resources and information for encouraging and enabling more children to safely walk and bike to school
    www.saferoutesinfo.org
    
  • SAFETEA-LU
    Info on the federal surface transportation program
    http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/index.htm
    
  • Smart Growth
    Outlines problems and solutions for linking transportation to the creation of sustainable communities
    http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/
    
  • Surface Transportation Policy Partnership
    Resources and guides to community transportation opportunities; surface transportation policy partnership:
    http://www.transact.org/
    
  • Transport, Environment and Health
    Report from the WHO highlighting negative health effects of motorized transport as well as the potential health benefits of non-motorized transport
    http://www.euro.who.int/document/e72015.pdf
    
  • Transportation for America
    Information and resources from the coalition seeking to align transportation policies with other health and equity issues
    http://t4america.org/

  Walkability/Bikability

  • Active Living Resource Center
    Resources on neighborhood change strategies to increase  physical activity by improving bicycle and pedestrian friendliness
    http://www.activelivingresources.org/index.php
    
  • Active Transportation for America
    Makes the case that increased federal funding in bicycling and walking infrastructure would provide tens of billions of dollars in benefits to all Americans.
    http://www.railstotrails.org/whatwedo/trailadvocacy/ATFA/index.html
    
  • America Walks
    Advocacy for local, state and national issues surrounding the creation of walkable communitie
    www.americawalks.org
    
  • Bicycle Environment Quality Index
    Tool to assess the bicycle environment on roadways to evaluate streetscape improvements and promote bicycling
    http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/HIA_Tools_BEQI.htm
    
  • Bicycle Transportation Alliance
    Resources on promoting bicycling and improving bicycling conditions to allow people to meet transportation needs on a bike
    www.bta4bikes.org
    
  • Economic Value of Walkability
    Paper describing ways to evaluate the value of walking and walkability and increase public support for walking and other nonmotorized modes of travel
    http://www.vtpi.org/walkability.pdf
  • Healthy Transportation Network
    Information, resources, success stories, etc. on walking improving walkability and bikability
    http://www.healthytransportation.net/index.html
  • How Walkable is Your Community
    Tool for assessing/evaluating the walkability of your community
    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/ped/walk1.html
    
  • Kansas City Walkability Plan
    Comprehensive local plan for including walkability  in city and transportation planning
    http://www.kcmo.org/planning.nsf/plnpres/walkability
    
  • League of American Bicyclists
    Action steps for bike advocacy/bikability    
    http://www.bikeleague.org/action/index.php
    
  • Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index
    Tool to assess the quality of the physical pedestrian environment and inform pedestrian planning needs
    http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/phes/HIA_Tools_PEQI.htm 
    
  • Walk Score
    Making the case for walking; rankings for walkable cities; get the walk score for your city
    www.walkscore.com
  Convergence Partnership Publications and Related Partner Programs 
           Publications/Tools
  • Environmental Change is Critical to Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living
    Powerpoint presentation introducing the importance of environmental change, including public policy and organizational practice change, in transforming norms and supporting health promoting behaviors.
    http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/Environmental%20Change_slide%20set%201_FINAL.ppt
    
  • Healthy People in Healthy Places: A Vision and Call to Action
    Powerpoint presentation targeting the boards of foundations across multiple fields to demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral collaboration; the benefits of focusing on equity and environments, and the need for sustained resources to accomplish long-term community change
    http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/A%20Call%20to%20Action.ppt
  • Introducing the Convergence Partnership
    Background info on the Healthy Eating Active Living Convergence Partnership
    http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/CP_Introduction_printed.pdf
    
  • Making the Case and Getting Underway: A Funder Toolkit to Support Healthy Living 
    A toolkit to provide support for foundations interested in expanding their portfolio to include multi-field, environmental and policy focused grantmaking
    http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/CP%20Making%20the%20Case%20Toolkit%20Revised_to%20post.pdf

        People in Healthy Places
  
  

  • Promising Strategies for Creating Healthy Eating and Active Living Environments
    Comprehensive and cross-cutting review of policy, strategy, and program recommendations to realize the vison of healthy people in healthy places
    http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/CP_Promising%20Strategies_printed.pdf
    
  • Strategies for Enhancing The Built Environment
    A resource to identify policies and opportunities towards building healthy environments
    http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245A9B44-6DED-4ABD-A392-AE583809E350%7D/CP_Built%20Environment_printed.pdf

  
        Healthy Eating, Active Living Partner Programs and Resources

  • CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity 
    Information, research, data, publications and tools and other resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an array of health topics
    http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/
    http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/hwi/index.htm
    http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dach/
    http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/index.htm
    http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/
    http://www.cdc.gov/ToolsResources/ 
    
  • Kaiser Community Health Initiatives
    Resources for place-based, multi-sectoral community initiatives that focus on racial and ethnic health disparities
    http://xnet.kp.org/communitybenefit/chi/
  • Kaiser Healthy Eating Active Living Initiative
    Information about Kaiser Permanente’s HEAL Initiative in northern California
    http://xnet.kp.org/communitybenefit/regions/nca/HEAL/HEALinitiative.html 
    
  • Kellogg Food & Fitness
    Information and resources related to Kellogg’s Food & Fitness Initiative
    http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=75&CID=383&NID=61&LanguageID=0 
    
  • Kellogg Publications and Resources
    Searchable database of publications and research related to the food and fitness initiative compiled by Kellogg and its grantees
    http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=100&CID=383&CatID=383&NID=211&LanguageID=0
    
  • Kellogg Toolkits
    Tools outlining essential elements for building effective communication, evaluation, and public policy programs. 
    http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=112&NID=196&LanguageID=0
    
  • Nemours
    Resources and information from one of the nation’s largest children’s health systems seeking to restore and improve the health of children through care and programs not readily available
    http://www.nemours.org/index.html 
    
  • Nemours Grow Up Healthy
    Information and resources related to Nemours’ Grow Up Healthy Initiative
    http://www.nemours.org/department/nhps.html#ad1Pause
    
  • RWJF Childhood Obesity
    Resources, information, publications related to RWJF Childhood Obesity initiative and reaching the goal of reversing the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. 
    http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/index.js
    
  • RWJF National Programs
    Links to RWJF network of national programs related to physical activity, healthy eating, and obesity prevention 
    http://www.rwjf.org/programareas/npolist.jsp?pid=1138
    
  • RWJF Publications and Research
    Searchable database of publications and research compiled by RWJF and its grantees
    http://www.rwjf.org/pr/
    
  • TCE Public Policy and Advocacy
    Information, examples, and tools for influencing public policy
    http://www.calendow.org/article.aspx?id=346&ItemID=346
    
  • TCE Publications
    The California Endowment publications on topics including obesity and policy change
    http://www.calendow.org/Article.aspx?id=1842