Healthy Communities

The World Health Organization defines a healthy community as:

"… one that is continually creating and improving those physical and social environments and expanding those community resources that enable people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and in developing to their maximum potential."

One of HRiA's strengths is our ability to build coalitions that engage a wide range of stakeholders around critical public health issues. Many of HRiA's healthy community efforts have had significant impact at the state and local level.

Boston Alliance for Community Health
The Boston Alliance for Community Health is a city-wide coalition that coordinates public health planning and programming throughout Boston. It is comprised of twelve neighborhood coalitions working together with hospitals and health centers, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to improve the overall health of their residents. The Alliance focuses on the social determinants of health: life enhancing resources that greatly impact health status such as access to health care and health resources, food supply, job opportunities, safety, education, housing, and transportation. One of 27 Community Health Network Areas (CHNAs) developed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in 1992, the Alliance brings together representatives from public, non-profit, and private sectors to build healthier communities through community-based prevention planning and health promotion.

Greater Boston Center for Healthy Communities
The Greater Boston Center for Healthy Communities works with community leaders and organizations to build effective and sustainable coalitions in Boston's neighborhoods and the surrounding communities of Brookline, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Staff includes experienced public health experts who work with community-based coalitions to achieve measureable outcomes and sustainable change. In our leadership role, HRiA:

• provides technical assistance and training on strategic planning, vision and mission statement development, community needs assessment, data collection and analysis, program development, coalition building, evidence-based strategies, and evaluation
• helps groups to develop plans to improve the health of communities, using the most up-to-date prevention research, data, curricula, and tools
• assists communities in identifying health priorities and designing new initiatives to meet health concerns
• provides guidance to coalitions focused on alcohol, tobacco,other drug abuse prevention and those addressing social determinants of health.

The Greater Boston Center for Health Communities is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Healthy Communities, and the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. It is one of six regional Centers for Healthy Communities across the state that provides health promotion and prevention services.

Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Communities
The Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Communities works statewide with city and town leaders toward healthier and safer communities. Through this program, HRiA:

• provides a comprehensive year-long training program designed for community teams from across the Commonwealth to build skills in areas such as assessment, program planning and implementation, diversity, and evaluation
• provides easily accessible on-line courses and tools for individuals and coalitions to implement, measure, and sustain change
• hosts an annual event to enable community teams and coalitions to advance best practices and recognize significant accomplishments
• fosters collaboration among public health and community leaders with agencies, organizations, and funders
• introduces new ways for participants to engage diverse populations, including those delineated by age, race, culture, gender, economic ability, and sexual orientation.