Resources

The following list is only a small sample of resources recommended by Planning for Healthy Places. For a more comprehensive list organized by category, see the Resources included with the General Plans and Zoning and Economic Development and Redevelopment toolkits.

The American Planning Association is a nonprofit public interest and research organization that works to advance the art and science of urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning to meet the needs of people and society.

The California Endowment is a private, statewide health foundation committed to expanding access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promoting fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.

The California Nutrition Network of the California Department of Health Services creates innovative partnerships that enable low-income Californians to adopt healthy eating and physical activity patterns as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The Community Quality of Life is a health promotion approach to understanding communities. Five principles guide the community quality of life approach. The approach adheres to World Health Organization concepts of health and health promotion. It also emphasizes the social determinants of health and well-being and uses a quality of life model to consider the effects of these determinants. The approach calls for a strong respect for the community and its members. And, it calls for seeing the world through their eyes and reporting it in their words.

The Food Trust works in partnership with teachers, food retailers, health practitioners, policy makers, farmers, community organizations, and many others to increase communities' access to affordable, nutritious food.

Healthy Eating, Active Communities is an initiative of The California Endowment that aims to fight the growing childhood obesity epidemic in California. The initiative works toward increasing opportunities for physical activity and health eating for children and families, particularly in low-income and rural communities, and developing state policy changes that will reduce the risk factors for diabetes and obesity.

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is the national organization representing local public health agencies. NACCHO works to support efforts that protect and improve the health of all people and communities by promoting national policy, developing resources and programs, seeking health equity, and supporting local public health practice and systems.

PolicyLink is a national nonprofit research, communications, capacity building, and advocacy organization working to advance policies to achieve economic and social equity. Among its approaches is "equitable development," a comprehensive local, regional, and state framework emphasizing the fair distribution of affordable housing and community strategies to improve public health.

Public Health Indicators and National Data provides a web-based resource for community-level social indicators of health, with links to community-specific sites, indicators, and comparisons.

The Public Health Institute is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation, and around the world.

The Public Health Law & Policy works with community-based organizations, local public health and planning departments, schools, elected/appointed officials, government attorneys, and private counsel, creating groundbreaking policy solutions to critical public health challenges.