By Greg Vigdor, WHF President & CEO
Healthy Communities. It is a great idea in search of a sexier name. You see – trying to message the idea of healthy communities is difficult, because the term has never had the oomph to strike a chord with the general public. The ambitions, values and importance of the healthy communities movement is undeniable. In fact, it is embedded in the very DNA of our own Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign, but the term has always made it one of those ideas that regular folks have a hard time relating to. I will explain why that is so important in just a moment. First – a little background.
“Promoting Community Health” is one of the Healthiest State Campaign’s six key action areas. The others are Investing in Prevention, Increasing Value in Health Services,Protecting Against Injury and Disease, Avoiding Addictions, and Engaging in Healthy Habits. These action areas define where we can focus our efforts to build better health. Taking this action is the cornerstone of our Campaign to make Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation. We invite you to join us at www.HealthiestState.org.
All of our action areas are important, but Promoting Community Health has always held a special place for us because it defines much of our own organization’s history going back to our roots in 1992. That was about the same time the healthy communities movement was just getting off the ground. We continue to share many of the values and beliefs embedded in that work. Over the past 20 years, healthy communities projects have blossomed across our Nation - including here in Washington state. Most have stayed true to the values of the movement’s founders and have made great contributions to health in their communities. But recently, more and more projects are being described as healthy communities projects, without knowledge or appreciation of the movement’s values. This association has, unwittingly, hijacked the meaning the term.
In order to truly show you are engaged in the healthy communities movement – we believe you must be able to point out how your organization is fulfilling each one of the principles listed below. Some groups and organizations do a great job at one or two of the principles, but how many can say they endeavor to achieve all of them? We hope that these principles ring true as you think of our own Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign:
Practices Ongoing Dialogue. Healthy Communities seek to improve health through constructive and regular dialogue about the work. It is not a matter of doing this once, believing you have all the answers, and just implementing it. Rather, it is to keep talking and exploring the work and ambition to find the best answers.
Generates Leadership Everywhere. Healthy Communities leaders are not selected by just checking for who is at the top of organizations or power structures. Rather, it is found everywhere, individually and collectively, within the community.
Shapes Its Future. A Healthy Community aims to make its future, rather than only ask others to do so. It sets forth a shared vision as to where it wants to go, and then builds upon what is in its control to achieve this, starting with its own assets.
Embraces Diversity. Healthy Communities are inclusive, in ways that transcends the common use of this term. Part of this is recognizing the growing diversity of our communities in terms of race and ethnicity, and including all of the people. More broadly, it is about embracing all those that are different than you, including in thought.
Knows Itself. A Healthy Community endeavors to understand who and what it is, and uses this to develop its confidence to act. Data is used to inform, but is collected and used in new ways. Importantly, the data is aimed at measuring what is important to the community, and converts to information that allows a focus on building on assets more than needs.
Connects People and Resources. Healthy Communities is about bringing people and organizations together to act on and improve health. Rather than adding another silo to a health system dominated by separate organizations and people doing their own thing.
Creates a Common Sense of Community. A Healthy Community endeavors to develop a shared sense of who and what we are, based on values and behavioral standards. It acknowledges the interconnectedness of us to one another, and aims to build upon what we share in common. And decidedly not by focusing on that which divides us.
So – how does all this connect back to our key action area of Promoting Community Health? Simply put, the healthy communities ideal is woven into the fabric of the Washington Health Foundation’s core values – particularly our deeply held belief that health is local. Promoting community health at the local level is a key element in the framework of our Healthiest State Campaign.
Many of the healthy communities projects we helped launch with cash, technical assistance or other leadership support remain in play to this day. They include the CHOICE regional project in southwest Washington, the Health Improvement Partnership in Spokane, and the Pacific County community health network.
The highlight of our work in this regard has become the centerpiece of our organization – the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign. The heart of the Campaign reflects the keyhealthy communities values, and we drew upon what we learned tactically about this work over our first 15 years in devising our strategic plan to make Washington the Healthiest State. Healthy Communities lives within the intellectual, spiritual and tactical roots of our Healthiest State Campaign. Continue reading more here...
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