The Washington County Departments of Public Works and Public Health and Environment, in collaboration with the Gateway Corridor Commission, conducted an HIA to examine the potential health impacts of possible land-use changes around the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit corridor and to inform comprehensive planning of station areas in five cities—Saint Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale, Landfall, […]

The HIA addressed California Assembly Bill 2716: Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act of 2008. The bill would have entitled an employee who works in California to accrue paid sick time at a rate of no less than one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to nine days per year. An […]

The Palau Health Impact Assessment Working Group, in partnership with Ulkerreuil A Klengar, conducted a rapid health impact assessment of S.B. 9-20-SD2, which would require all employers to provide up to three month maternity leave to pregnant employees, with the option for an additional month of unpaid leave. The current law covers maternity leave only […]

The HIA addressed the health implications of a housing assistance and homelessness prevention program called the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MVRP), as well as proposed changes to the program for FY2006. The HIA: 1) looked specifically at program components like time limits, work requirements, eligibility determination and required tenant rent contributions; and 2) studied the […]

The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Project, a joint endeavor of the Partnership for Prevention and the UCLA School of Public Health, conducted this HIA on a state legislative proposal to expand funding for after-school programs. The HIA found several potential health benefits that could occur through improving educational outcomes; through reductions in violence and injury […]

This health impact assessment will inform the development of a five-year fair and affordable housing plan by incorporating potential health impacts, social equity, and environmental justice into future housing policies The plan will also incorporate findings of an affordable housing study being conducted by Michigan State University. FAHP’s planning process serves as the framework for a community-wide […]

This HIA studied a proposed amendment to Ordinance 01-67, the Farmland Protection Program, which has operated for 10 years and resulted in the permanent protection of over 5,500 acres of farmland. The amendment would broaden annual investments to include small and organic farms producing fruits, vegetables, and meat, and is intended in part to increase […]

The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to align nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold in schools with the federal dietary guidelines. Healthy diets are linked to a number of children’s health outcomes, including maintaining a recommended weight, decreased risk of tooth decay and other chronic diseases, […]

With funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Wayne County, MI Department of Public Health completed a health impact assessment (HIA) of a national and statewide policy proposal for gender pay equity.  Wayne County DPH’s Place Matters team is focused on infant mortality, and is interested to work on upstream issues that impact maternal and […]

The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the potential effects of a worksite wellness tax credit on three main areas of concern for Kentucky: (1) nutrition, physical activity and obesity levels of children whose parents receive Worksite Wellness services, (2) jobs and (3) social cohesion. The purpose of conducting the HIA was to consider […]

Researchers from Florida Gulf Coast University, in partnership with the Tice Historic Community Planning Panel, completed a rapid HIA of a road-widening project in a primarily low-income minority community in Lee County, Florida. In 2010 Lee County Department of Transportation completed the design plans for Ortiz Avenue. These design plans identified a four-lane, divided road […]

Human Impact Partners, Advancement Project, and National People’s Action conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of Congress’ federal 2011 proposed Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) project to re-organize public housing funding and management structures. Using mixed research methods, the HIA assessed the impacts of RAD on: management, evictions, and resident organizing; housing affordability, stability, and quality; […]

An HIA that examined the expected health benefits of proposed highway design changes (e.g., reducing lanes, adding sidewalks, medians, bike lanes and on-street parking) to the Buford Highway Corridor.  Special emphasis was placed on the potential impacts on physical activity and pedestrian injuries. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit […]

New Mexico Voices for Children completed an HIA of a proposed tax on food in the state. In 2004, the New Mexico Legislature exempted food from the gross receipts tax, the state’s version of the sales tax. However, state legislators, under pressure from local governments facing declining revenue, are considering allowing localities to reinstate a […]

Human Impact Partners conducted an HIA of the federal Healthy Families Act of 2009 and a companion rapid assessment of existing health data relevant to New Jersey. As of 2011, almost 40% of the state’s private sector workers—over 1.2 million New Jersey residents—were not entitled to any paid sick days. At the time of the […]

The HIA addressed a proposed plan for twelve miles of pedestrian and biking trails under the elevated Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) tracks from East Oakland to Hayward, known as the East Bay Greenway. Some of the influences on health that were considered include, the opportunity for increased physical activity, the greening of the landscape, […]

This health impact assessment will inform and influence planning and implementation decisions related to the establishment of a trail and greenway network traversing diverse communities on Cuyahoga County’s eastside. The Eastside Greenway was initiated to connect the eastside of Cleveland and thirteen eastside suburbs through a unified trail system, connecting neighborhoods to parks, employment and […]

Utah legislators were urged by coalitions and associations to consider raising the legal age of tobacco purchases from 19 to 21. During the 2015 legislative session, In response to requests from civic coalitions and associations, Representative Powell proposed a bill to raise the legal age of tobacco purchases from 19 to 21 in 2015. A […]

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute conducted an HIA to inform a decision on the status of the Wisconsin Transitional Jobs Program during the spring 2013 session that will shape the 2013-2015 biennial state budget. The HIA focused on the immediate health effects of changes in income related to employment, such as diet, alcohol […]

In 2014, Winona County Community Services produced a countywide Active Living Plan to provide direction on policies and practices that create active communities through nonmotorized transportation (biking and walking) and access to community recreation facilities. Winona County, along with the Minnesota Department of Health, conducted a health impact assessment to enhance the Active Living Plan […]

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, in partnership with Children’s HealthWatch, conducted an HIA to examine the potential health effects of creating a state-level, refundable earned income tax credit (EITC). Specifically, it considered how an EITC could affect Arkansas residents’ general health, children’s health, maternal depressive symptoms, low birth weight, childhood development delays, and obesity.  […]

National Association of State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) is supporting a Weatherization Plus Health pilot in Connecticut, collaborating with the CT Association for Community Action (CAFCA) and community action agency New Opportunities, Inc. (NOI) to deliver integrated weatherization and healthy homes interventions to low-income households. Securing funding that is adequate, flexible, and sustainable is vital […]

The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, conducted an HIA to inform the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s work on creation and implementation of a final rule updating the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) nutrition standards. The program provides funding for […]

The Health Impact Project, in partnership with the Oregon Public Health Institute and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, conducted an HIA to inform an update by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of its designated housing rule, which allows housing authorities to allocate certain public housing properties, or a portion of them, […]

The first-ever HIA on a major metropolitan transportation and comprehensive growth plan will be led by the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD) at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture. Plan 2040—which is being conducted by the Atlanta Regional Commission, the local intergovernmental-coordination agency—integrates multiple aspects of regional planning, including transportation, […]

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas completed an HIA to inform decisions by the Nevada State Legislature on proposed modifications to the availability of full-day kindergarten and on allocating state funding to support full-day kindergarten in high-risk schools. The HIA highlighted connections between full-day kindergarten and academic success. In particular, the study found that black, […]

The University of Florida Department of Urban and Regional Planning, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health, conducted a rapid health impact assessment of proposed changes to built environment and transportation access in the Tower Triangle area of the city of Gainesville, in Alachua County, Florida. The HIA focused on how these proposed changes […]

In 2020, Healthy Eating Research conducted a rapid HIA to inform proposed changes to the USDA’s nutrition standards for school meal programs. The HIA found that the implementation of strong nutrition standards following passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 resulted in healthier, more well-balanced meals and that these improvements have significant short- […]

The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, in conjunction with the Hillsborough County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation and Partners in Obesity Prevention, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of policy and programming changes that would allow businesses to provide free outdoor fitness classes in five parks and recreation centers in the Town […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to determine facilitators and barriers of a proposed food procurement policy in Los Angeles County. The proposed policy would require food purchasers, distributors, and vendors of food service to meet specified nutrition standards, including […]

Partners for a Healthier Community, or PHC, conducted an HIA to inform the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, local municipalities, and the public about the location of a casino in the four-county region of western Massachusetts. Legislation passed in November 2011 allows for as many as three destination resort casinos in three regions of the state, with […]

This HIA, carried out by Bernalillo County Place Matters Team, evaluated the health impacts of the county Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Action Plan. The HIA focused on the plan’s potential impact to pedestrian and bicycle accessibility and safety along Mountain View’s Second Street. Several health determinants that could be affected by the plan were […]

This HIA considered the impacts of proposed legislation in Massachusetts to lower the default speed limit on local roads from 30 miles per hour (mph) to 25 mph. The HIA examined potential impacts to injuries, air pollution, safety, and physical activity from a reduction in speed. The HIA determined that the proposed legislation could have […]

The Governor of California proposed a budget for FY 2007/2008 that included provisions to reallocate $1.3 billion in gasoline sales tax revenue that had been targeted for transit operations, maintenance, and capital projects to other statewide programs. The HIA examined how the proposed cuts to transit funding could impact public health through air, water, and […]

Upstream Public Health and the Oregon Health Equity Alliance conducted an HIA to examine the potential racial, social, environmental, and economic health equity effects on Multnomah County communities of a potential tobacco retail license policy based on state legislation that has been introduced at the state level. The goals of this project were to inform […]

WISDOM, in collaboration with Human Impact Partners, conducted an HIA to project the potential health impacts of scaling up Treatment Alternative Diversion (TAD) programs from $2 million to $75 million in the Wisconsin state budget.  The HIA assessed the long-term health consequences of Wisconsin’s exploding prison population of the past two decades, and examined the […]

MetroPlan Orlando, in partnership with the University of Central Florida and the Winter Park Health Foundation, conducted the first transportation HIA in central Florida. The state Route 50 Bus Rapid Transit HIA analyzed the potential effects of implementing bus rapid transit along 22 miles of SR 50 on the physical, social, and emotional health of […]

Vitruvian Planning LLC conducted a rapid HIA on behalf of Boise, Idaho, that analyzed the potential health effects of building a new library in the Bown Crossing neighborhood. The study examined the impacts of programming or services offered at the library, with a focus on youth and older adults, and of the location selection. Findings […]

Public health graduate students at Brigham Young University conducted an HIA to analyze potential health effects of the Utah Medical Cannabis Act (UMCA), a ballot initiative to legalize the use and production of medical marijuana in the state. The authors investigated how the UMCA might affect potential medical marijuana users, adolescents, economically disadvantaged individuals, and […]

The Childhood Obesity Prevention Research Program at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, with technical assistance from Upstream Public Health, conducted an HIA to examine the potential impacts of a state farm-to-school (F2S) coordinator position on the health of the state’s public school students. As of 2017, nearly 1 in 4 Arkansas kindergarteners were overweight or obese, […]

The Seattle and King County Public Health Department, in collaboration with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, conducted an HIA to evaluate the health impacts of the State Route 520 bridge replacement and HOV project. The HIA focused on several pathways and health issues including air quality, carbon emissions, traffic injury and opportunities for physical […]

Between 2011 and 2014, the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division conducted three health impact assessments (HIAs) on elements of Portland Metro’s Climate Smart Communities planning project. The Portland metro regional government requested the HIAs to ensure that decision-makers had access to public health evidence and best practices as they shaped and approved a greenhouse […]

With funding from St. Luke’s Foundation, Vitruvian Planning and the Eagle (Idaho) Parks and Recreation Department conducted an HIA to understand how the city’s Pathways and Trails Plan might influence the health of area residents. Recommendations Focus on areas with the highest socio-economic need for bicycle paths, pedestrian trails, and accessible green spaces when selecting […]

This health impact assessment (HIA) addressed a Massachusetts-specific version of the federal Healthy Families Act. The pathways and health issues explored included: 1) the spread of communicable diseases, such as influenza and stomach flu through workers at restaurants, schools and nursing homes; 2) the income and stress-related impacts of loss of salary and employer retaliation […]

California’s Senate Bill 375 mandates that each regional government in California develop and adopt plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in part through developing Regional Transportation Plans and Sustainable Communities Strategies that will guide local land use, transportation, and other decisions important to greenhouse gas emissions.  California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) conducted two health impact […]

The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, the Georgia Health Policy Center, and the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization conducted an HIA to understand how policies and guidance detailed in the regional metropolitan planning organization’s freight study and expected increases in freight train traffic will affect residents’ health in Chatham County. The HIA focused […]

Human Impact Partners, working closely with ISAIAH—a faith-based coalition of more than 100 congregations—conducted an HIA to assess the potential health effects of a legislative proposal to cap annual percentage rates (APR) on payday loans and increase reporting requirements. The bill is expected to be introduced in the Minnesota Legislature in 2016. The HIA considered […]

Two options for the county’s General Plan Update were being considered: one that focused development in existing urban areas and another that would allow for the creation of new towns in the county. Some of the pathways and health issues explored included access to retail and services, preservation of agricultural land, community safety, water quality […]

Public health graduate students at Brigham Young University conducted an HIA to analyze the potential health effects of a bill proposed in the Utah Legislature to require prescribers to get prior authorization from an insurer for any opioid prescription that exceeds 90-morphine equivalents; for benzodiazepines prescribed to patients already taking opioids; and for new chronic […]

Davidson Design for Life, in collaboration with a Regional Advisory Commission, conducted an HIA of North Carolina State Senate Bill 731, a bill that would amend zoning legislation to make certain building design standards not applicable to low-density, single family residences. Low-density is defined as five units per acre or less. These building design elements […]

The Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, in partnership with the Tennessee Obesity Taskforce, conducted a rapid HIA of Tennessee Senate Bill 1176, the Tennessee Food Desert Relief Act which was introduced during the 2012 legislative session. The bill would authorize the use of revenue bonds and loans to develop property into food desert relief […]

The Arkansas Community Institute, Central Arkansas ReEntry Coalition, and local partners conducted an HIA of H.B. 1166, which would create a “warranty of habitability”—a set of basic statewide quality standards in public and private rental housing. The project focused on the bill’s potential impacts on low-income renters living south of Interstate 630 in Little Rock, […]

The Center for Health Advancement at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to identify potential health effects of proposed changes to California’s state gas tax, such as replacing the tax with a mileage-based user fee. The HIA investigated whether any of the alternatives would adversely affect existing socio-economic […]

In 2016, a group of Massachusetts planners, public health professionals, and members of the American Planning Association partnered with Groundwork Lawrence on a health impact assessment (HIA) framework to measure the economic, social, and environmental impacts of planting street trees in the Arlington and South Common neighborhoods in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a city with a nearly […]

This project explored how a coordinated regional transit system might impact health disparities in the Central Oregon counties of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook.  The HIA focused on impacts to health through opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy foods, health care services, and employment, as well as safety. Outcome Commute Options presented at a […]

Metro Council of greater Portland, Oregon, commissioned a health impact assessment to evaluate the potential health impacts and benefits of managing 200,000 tons per year of the Metro Region’s municipal solid waste through a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility versus a conventional landfill. In terms of impacts on environmental social determinants of health, such as air and […]

The Public Health Law Center will conduct an HIA to examine the ways in which decisions about school location and building design can affect health to inform revisions to the Minnesota Department of Education’s school construction and siting guidelines. School design features important to health could include improvements to bike and pedestrian access that increase […]

Human Impact Partners conducted an HIA of the federal Healthy Families Act of 2009 and a companion rapid assessment to review existing health data relevant to paid sick day legislation (H.B. 662) under consideration in New Hampshire. The HIA found that between 2004 and 2008, 89 percent of foodborne disease outbreaks in the state occurred […]

Legal Aid of Marin and Human Impact Partners conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of proposed changes to the Housing Code Enforcement Policy in three jurisdictions in California: unincorporated Marin County, Novato, and San Rafael. The HIA examined how common housing complaints such as water incursion, pests infestations, mold and dampness, electrical problems, and heating […]

The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, together with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, conducted an HIA to inform state decisions on funding for the Small Business Technical Assistance (SBTA) Program, an initiative that incubates and supports small businesses in underserved Massachusetts communities. The HIA explored links between the income-generating effects of supporting small […]

The Benton County Health Department conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to assess the potential impacts of installing a roundabout instead of a traditional traffic signal at the intersection of 53rd Street and West Hills Road outside of Corvallis, Oregon.  There is an assisted living and retirement facility at the intersection, as well as a […]

The San Francisco Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to assess the impact of California Assembly Bill 889, which proposed extending labor protections including overtime compensation, meal and rest periods, and uninterrupted sleep periods with compensation to domestic workers. The HIA focused specifically on two provisions of the bill: amending California Workers’ Compensation legislation […]

Human Impact Partners conducted an HIA on the health implications of three different approaches to disciplining students in California schools: zero tolerance, positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), and restorative justice. It is hypothesized that zero tolerance policies (in which students are suspended or expelled for offenses) may not make schools safer and may actually […]

The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD), a research center of the Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture, conducted a comprehensive HIA on the site of a former Ford assembly plant. The location contained several contaminated industrial sites that were cleaned in preparation for the repurposing of this land. The 122-acre site, […]

This HIA was conducted to inform the state’s decision on whether to revise the Kansas Liquor Control Act to allow convenience and grocery stores to hold retail liquor licenses. The law, which has been in place for more than 60 years, currently allows only liquor stores to sell spirits, wine, and beer with higher alcohol […]

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), in collaboration with The Ohio State University College of Public Health, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to inform decisions on a proposal to improve interagency coordination and streamline the current system for housing inspections on affordable housing units. At present, different inspections are conducted or required by local […]

Millennium Bulk Terminals is proposing to construct and operate a coal export terminal on a 190-acre site along the Columbia River in Cowlitz County, Washington. The terminal would receive rail shipments of coal from the Powder River and the Uinta basins, which would then be transported by ship on the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean […]

In collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health, the Region Nine Development Commission conducted a rapid HIA on the Region Nine Climate Change Adaptation Plan soil and water conservation strategy. The report provided detailed recommendations for improving conservation practices, strategies to preserve topsoil and agricultural productivity during extreme weather events or conditions, managing the impact […]

This health impact assessment (HIA) addressed a Maine-specific version of the federal Healthy Families Act, a bill that would have entitled an employee to accrue paid sick time at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to nine days per year. The pathways and health issues explored included: 1) the spread […]

The Tri-County Health Department conducted an HIA of Sheridan’s Comprehensive Plan update, which is intended to help frame policies that maximize positive health effects and prioritize implementation strategies. The previous Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2004, had focused on programmatic municipal changes and guidance for specific properties in the community. One objective for the new plan […]

The Kansas Water Vision plan calls for an evaluation of uses of lower-quality water in the state so the Kansas Health Institute conducted a health impact assessment to examine how municipal water reuse might affect the health of state residents. The study analyzed seven factors related to water reuse that could affect health in Kansas: […]

During the 2014 legislative cycle, Utah legislators intended to revisit alcohol regulations that many stakeholders felt were outdated. These included a limit on the number of alcohol retail outlet licenses issued according to population quotas. Some stakeholders were concerned that lowering the population quotas required for each license would lead to an increase in the […]

The East Aldine District (EAD), located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, just north of downtown Houston, was established by the state Legislature to enhance the physical, social, and economic well-being of East Aldine. The EAD’s services are sustained by a 1-cent retail sales tax and are guided by a service plan to respond to issues […]

A rapid HIA completed by a student at the School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley to examine the potential health outcomes as joint use agreements eligible for state funding are expanded under California AB 346. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The […]

The Pediatric Injury Prevention Education and Research Program at the Colorado School of Public Health, in collaboration with Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, conducted an HIA to inform Colorado Department of Human Services consideration of new policies on how marijuana use should be […]

HIAs are mandated for new development projects in Prince George’s County, Maryland (County Bill CB-41-2011). This legislation builds health into policies, provides a tool to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases and injuries, and requests that the county Planning Board refer site plans at specific stages to the county Health Department for HIA review. The […]

Health Resources in Action, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, will conduct a health impact assessment, or HIA, to inform the promulgation of regulations by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development that will guide the release of funding for community development corporations under the […]

The California Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the California Public Health Institute, conducted an HIA to inform the development of new carbon ‘cap and trade’ regulations (Assembly Bill 32) by the California Air Resources Board. The new regulations are intended to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by imposing a cap on the […]

The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, conducted a rapid HIA to inform the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed Title I regulations Section 200.21(c) regarding the content, procedures, and implementation of school-level needs assessments. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, local educational agencies (LEAs) are […]

The Kansas Health Institute conducted an HIA of potential health effects of legalizing medical marijuana in the state. The HIA examined five factors that could affect health: access to and consumption of marijuana, crime, driving under the influence of marijuana and related traffic accidents, and accidental ingestion, with an emphasis on disproportionate effects to vulnerable […]

The Health Research Center (HRC) at West Virginia University, along with Main Street Fairmont, is conducting a health impact assessment (HIA) of a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plan for downtown Fairmont, West Virginia. The HIA will explore how bike lanes and other pedestrian improvements, as well as increased connectivity to parks, schools, and points of […]

The Washington County Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Division, in partnership with the Washington County Department of Land Use and Transportation, conducted a rapid HIA in 2014 to identify the potential health impacts of building a bicycle and pedestrian bridge to join two sections of SW Augusta Lane over Beaverton Creek in […]

The Council on Crime and Justice conducted an HIA to inform the Minnesota State Legislature’s decision to reform state drug sentencing laws by providing evidence-based information about the potential health impacts on individuals, families, and communities. The findings and recommendations show that particular changes in the proposed legislation could yield positive (or negative) health outcomes […]

This HIA provided information to Washington County’s leaders and planners as they updated the county’s active transportation policies, and made decisions about the design of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in upcoming transportation projects. The goals of the HIA were to understand barriers to biking and walking in Washington County, and research the connections between health, […]

In fall 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Wisconsin Capital Region a $2 million, three-year Sustainable Community Regional Planning Grant (SCRPG), with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC) serving as the lead agency. Recognizing that regional challenges —healthy environment, mobility, economic opportunities for all, and quality of life— […]

The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) conducted a health impact assessment of the George Road Complete Streets Implementation Plan, which aimed to provide a safe bicycle and pedestrian connection between the Town ‘N’ Country Greenway and the Courtney Campbell Trail. The study found that the plan […]

The Vermont Department of Health conducted an HIA of a proposed sick leave policy that would provide paid health care time for every 30 hours worked. Employees could use this leave—up to 56 hours annually—to recover from an illness; seek preventive care; provide care for a family member; coordinate social or legal services; and receive […]

The Colorado School of Public Health and Colorado’s Children’s Hospital conducted a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) on the final regulatory structure for retail marijuana in Colorado. Amendment 64 legalized and set preliminary regulations for recreational marijuana sales to adults over 21 years of age. The HIA intended to inform the State’s final regulatory structure. […]

Human Impact Partners and the University of California, Berkeley schools of Public Health and City and Regional Planning, in partnership with TransForm and other Alameda County, California, community organizations, conducted an HIA of the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project connecting three cities in the county. The HIA examined the potential health implications of the […]

This HIA will inform the establishment of a Massachusetts Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights that is under consideration by the state Legislature. The bill of rights would amend state labor law to guarantee basic work standards and protect domestic workers, primarily nannies, housekeepers, and personal caregivers/aides. The HIA will provide the best available information on […]

Federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was a central dispute during the 112th and 113th Congressional deliberations over the Farm Bill reauthorization. The Senate and House introduced several bills that sought to reduce SNAP spending by changing the procedures that states use to determine eligibility and the benefit amount that some participating […]

Graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley conducted an HIA to add value to decision-making regarding design alternatives for the San Jose to Merced corridor of the California High-Speed Rail. The study identified opportunities for health benefits as well as risks and negative health costs. The HIA found that the direct employment benefits of […]

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa conducted an HIA to analyze and explain the importance of wild rice, or manoomin, to the health of the Ojibwe people in advance of a proposed revision to loosen water quality standards for wild rice cultivation in Minnesota. Hand-harvested manoomin is a staple for the Ojibwe […]

Between 2011 and 2014, the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division conducted three health impact assessments (HIAs) on elements of Portland Metro’s Climate Smart Communities planning project. The Portland metro regional government requested the HIAs to ensure that decision-makers had access to public health evidence and best practices as they shaped and approved a greenhouse […]

Hennepin County’s Department of Housing, Community Works and Transit (HCWT) conducted an HIA to inform planning decisions on the proposed Bottineau Transitway. The transitway proposal would create a new bus or light rail line extending from downtown Minneapolis through North Minneapolis and into neighboring suburbs. The HIA was coordinated with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement […]

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness conducted an HIA to analyze the potential health effects of the Kentucky Pregnant Workers’ Act. The bill proposed to ensure reasonable workplace accommodations for women during pregnancy, such as reducing heavy lifting, bending, or standing and exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, and loud noises; providing consistent […]

The city of Ramsey, Minnesota, in collaboration with Design for Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, conducted an HIA on the potential health effects of the city’s comprehensive plan update to identify what progress has been made on key health indicators and opportunities for further improvement. The HIA found that Ramsey provides […]

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) conducted an HIA to inform decisions regarding a proposed biomass power plant that would burn poultry litter in Virginia.  The Shenandoah Valley in northwestern Virginia is among the nation’s largest producers of poultry. The litter produced by poultry farms is of particular concern because, when applied as fertilizer, the runoff can […]

Human Impact Partners conducted an HIA of California Proposition 47, The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, which appeared on the November 2014 state ballot. Proposition 47 would reclassify six nonserious, nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors; allow people incarcerated for those crimes to apply for lower sentences, release, and expungement; and redirect savings from a reduction in […]

This rapid health impact assessment (RHIA) evaluated the mental health effects of Massachusetts bill S. 900, which proposed to require that the state expunge criminal records for individuals who committed their offenses before the age of 21. Students in the healthy cities course in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute […]

The City of Orlando, Florida recently acquired an additional two acres to expand Loch Haven Park, a 45-acre park established in the 1930s and home to many of Orlando’s art and cultural institutions. The Loch Haven Park Improvement Plan was developed to take advantage of opportunities to improve park cohesion during this expansion, since many […]