Only 1 in 2 big U.S. localities—500,000 or more people—have a local board of health, compared to over eight in ten small localities—less than 50,000 people. That means half our big cities miss out on public input on important health decisions. Half our big cities do not connect their local health departments to the community they serve or other public officials. Here are some benefits of having a local board of health for your city-and for you.
What a Local Board of Health Does
A local board of health provides community oversight and guidance for local health departments. They help set public health priorities for communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top ten responsibilities of local boards of health are: Review public health ...
You don’t need to hold political office to make a healthy change in your community. Parents and residents play a big role in helping leaders make change by getting involved in neighborhood associations and local committees, boards, and commissions. These groups rely on your input to shape plans and policies that impact health in your area. Contributing to healthy local change is important because where you live─down to your ZIP code─can predict your and your family’s education, income, and physical and mental health. So how can you get involved? Ways to Get Involved First, check out our Health Equity Report Card to see what healthy change is needed in your town! Get Your Report Card! Now that you know, here are some ways you can help shape local policies, ...
In this webinar, Salud Hero Kymberly Lacrosse who works with Latino youth to help bring healthy changes to their community shared her personal story as well as experiences working with Jóvenes SANOS. If you missed the webinar be sure to see check it out here. Every child, teen, or young adult, needs someone they can count on to guide them in the right direction. For many, mentorship and opportunities for leadership can go a long way, even changing one's life course trajectory. Despite the great importance of these opportunities many Latino youth lack mentorship and report a feeling of "disconnectedness." Nearly 15% of Latino youth are reported to be disconnected from opportunities, leading to less education, unemployment, and increased rates of childhood poverty, ...
How can we best train tomorrow's leaders? By working with youth to lead healthy changes today! Register now for our next Salud America! Webinar on March 27 on how to mobilize youth to become community advocates! What: Mobilizing Latino Youth to Become Community Advocates
Time/Date: 12 p.m. CST, Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Host: Salud America!
Special Guest: Kymberly Lacrosse, a Salud Hero of healthy change Lacrosse has vast experience mobilizing youth toward action. Lacrosse has served as a community organizer for the United Way of Santa Cruz County, Calif, working with the youth group Jóvenes SANOS to create several healthy changes: Healthier food options at METRO transit stations;
Convincing community leaders to adopt a healthy restaurant ...
Amazon, one of the biggest American companies, made it clear that public transit is an essential component for choosing a site for their second headquarters. No matter what side of the "Amazon headquarters" debate you land, public transit is a pretty reasonable public good to request from a city because it plays a major role in health, equity, economic development, and sustainability. The thing is, public transit success depends not only on local investment to expand and improve service, but also commitment from federal partners. Yet, the federal government is proposing to eliminate the Capital Investment Grant program, which matches local funds to build new transit systems and upgrade existing systems. Transportation for America created a guidebook, Fight for Your Ride: An ...
Update: In December 2018, Healthy Equity Award prize winners were selected! Winners include Janeth Tapia of North Carolina Farmworkers Project in Benson, N.C., which provides access to affordable, quality health care for a population that is often politically marginalized and isolated Tapia educates health care providers about the hazards that farm workers face, and she helps farm workers take charge of and advocate for their own health. The program provides transportation and volunteer translators for medical visits, and it has worked for extended clinical hours so farmworkers can get care at night or on weekends. Have you worked hard to improve access to quality care, education, or the environment for Latinos or other minorities? Then you could win the Health Equity ...
Sacramento has mild weather, light rail, and many bike paths. But people still heavily depend on cars in this 23% Latino city, according to its relatively low walk score. Sacramento also is like many other California cities, where urban planners face a big challenge to create more ways for a rising population to walk and bike. Fortunately, a group of diverse youth are making a difference for more walking, bicycling, and skating.
Youth Step Up for Safer Streets
The Walk & Bike Youth Leaders Program started in Sacramento in 2017, thanks to the California Bicycle Coalition, California Walks, and the California Center for Civic Participation. Program organizers chose 11 youth ages 16-23. The youth will partake in four online training sessions. They will learn how to ...
