Agenda - Planning Commission - 11/03/2011

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The w ffective Use of Health I pact Assessment in Land -Use %ecision NValcin By Patricia E. Salkin and Pamela Ko The way land is used can impact health determinants and health outcomes, yet decisions about land -use planning and regulation are often made without specific review or discussion of the potential health consequences. Significant ealth impacts? Yes or Uncertain No Potentially unfamiliar info? Yes or Uncertain No Results likely to be valued? Yes or Uncertain No Sufficient Data? Yes or Uncertain Nci No Sufficient Resources? Yes or sufficient for mini-HIA ® This screening algorithm can be helpful in determining whether or not to proceed with a full HIA based on available data, resources, and time. For example, public health professionals as- sert that development that does not enable physical activity (no sidewalks, dangerous intersections, poorly lighted areas), access to healthy food (no grocery stores, farmers markets, or other convenient opportunities to obtain fresh food), or provide for clean air and water can reduce positive health out- comes and lead to increases in obesity, heart disease, asthma, and other preventable ill- nesses. One tool planners can use to inform community decisions about the health impli- cations of development policies or proposals is Health Impact Assessment (HIA). The goal of HIA is to apply available research about health impacts to specific land -use questions to develop evidence -based recommenda- tions to inform decision making. No Worth expenditure o resources? Yes or Uncertain Timely results? Yes or Uncertain UCLA No Responses are all "Yes" Yes—® Ho HIA No ull HIA arr.anted' Full HIA HIA is a process or procedure that is used to judge the potential health effects of a policy or project on a given population with the aim of maximizing the proposal's positive health effects. Specifically, HIA can convert public health data into practical information that is useful to a decision maker in planning a new program or policy. HIA systematically evaluates the potential impact ofa policy, program, or project on the health ofa population as welt as the distribution of those effects within the population. Information obtained from HIA regarding land -use decisions can be used to predict health outcomes based on quantitative and qualitative data and scientific findings. HIA also promotes public health objec- tives and improves communication between local governments and their associated health agencies. Because HIA has its roots in assessments familiar to planners, such as environmental impact assessment (EIA), HIA tools may have a familiar look and feel for most planners and other key stakeholders involved in regional and local development. Furthermore, the participatory and evidence - based approaches and processes of an HIA framework may assist with plan making, project and proposal review, and regulatory ordinances in a manner that will inform, and is informed by, the specific health outcomes for a specific population. ELEMENTS OF HIA Because the field of HIA is relatively new and there is a great deal of diversity in the practices and methods used to perform HIAs in the United States, the North American HIA Practice Standards Working Group (Working Group) has attempted to establish minimum standards of good practice to guide the growth of HIA (Working Group zoso). The Working Group emphasizes that a typical HIA should involve six steps, each of which plays a specific role in gathering and evaluating all available information related to the land -use decision in question. Those steps include screening, scop- ing, assessment, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation of the proposed action. Screening is used to determine the value and purpose of the HIA, focusing on issues of its feasibility and the capability to add value to the discussions regardingthe land -use decision. The scoping phase is designed to identify health issues and research methods and to determine how the population(s) will likely be affected by the health outcomes of the proposed action. Avail- able evidence and existing research should also be evaluated at this point in an attempt ZONINGPRACTICE io.si AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 2