For Immediate Release: 1/27/2017
Contact:
Justin Dula, AICP, American Planning Association, Pennsylvania Chapter; chair@apapase.org
Roberta Rewers, American Planning Association, 312.786.6395; rrewers@planning.org
APA Pennsylvania Chapter Receives Grant Funding to Advance Healthy Communities
HARRISBURG – The American Planning Association Pennsylvania Chapter has received a $50,000 grant through the Planners4Health initiative to build local capacity for integrating planning and public health. The initiative’s goal is to create stronger, healthier communities and is being called the Healthy Communities in PA task force in Pennsylvania.
The six-month initiative sponsored by the American Planning Association (APA) will ensure planners and public health professionals have access to information and resources to help their communities more easily support and implement healthy living choices.
The Planners4Health initiative marks the three-year culmination of APA’s $9 million Plan4Health program that works to combat two determinants of chronic disease – lack of physical activity and lack of access to nutritious foods. Funding for the initiative is provided through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Through the initiative, APA Pennsylvania will use the grant funding to broadly share knowledge and resources on building coalitions with public health professionals and more strongly integrating public health into local and regional planning practices. APA Pennsylvania will use the grant to form a Healthy Communities in PA task force to focus on the overlapping needs and resources of the planning and health communities.
“This is a significant opportunity to enhance local planning efforts to create healthier communities and establish a strong legacy of collaboration between planners and public health professionals,” said Anna Ricklin, AICP, manager of APA’s Planning and Community Health Center. “Through APA Pennsylvania’s efforts, even more professionals will have access to best practices and resources to further advance healthy communities.”
James Cowhey, AICP, President of APA Pennsylvania said “APA Pennsylvania is pleased to accept this grant on behalf of our membership. Planners realize that healthy communities are resilient communities. This collaboration between planners and public health professionals will strengthen connections between the built environment and healthy, active living. We look forward to sharing what we learn from this initiative with communities across the Commonwealth.”
Through this grant, the APA Pennsylvania will be:
- Identifying potential partners;
- Leveraging existing healthy community initiatives and efforts underway;
- Sharing planning and public health information; and
- Bringing together key stakeholders.
Information about APA Pennsylvania’s work through Planners4Health can be found at https://planningpa.org/advocacy/healthy-communities-in-pa/. Visit www.planning.org/nationalcenters/health/planners4health for information about the overall program.
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tags: Health Planning