Building Capacity for Local Health Departments to Conduct Health Impact Assessment (PDF)

Given the impactful role that upstream determinants play in shaping health outcomes, the need for local health departments to incorporate health considerations into policy, planning, and program decisions is paramount. With shrinking budgets, fewer staff, and a growing number of public health challenges, city and county health departments are working strategically and innovativly with cross-sector partners and community stakeholders to support the public’s health. Health impact assessment (HIA) provides a structured framework for public health practitioners to work at the intersection of health and policymaking by embedding health considerations into decision-making processes outside fo the health sector. The goal of this report is to describe NACCHO’s HIA Program, characterize city and county health department practices from NACCHO’s demonstration sites, and identify program improvements and opportunities to support HIA practice. This report summarizes the progress made by health departments supported by NACCHO, highlights trends and promising models of HIA practice, identifies resource needs to institutionalize HIA practice, and explores ways HIA and similar activities can be incorporated into the core departmental operations in the absence of supplemental HIA funding.