Planning tools addressing human health through policy and plan implementation

There are a variety of ways that planners can address human health issues through local plans, policies, and ordinances. This section includes information from Design for Health as well as other sources.

Design for Health (DFH) Materials

  • Planning Information Sheets: This series give examples on how to incorporate health into policy and planning efforts. While the sheets are arranged by health topic, planners can also quickly locate many common planning concepts and tools.
  • Plan Case Studies: These studies provide an in-depth review of how King County, Washington and Fremantle, Western Australia are integrating physical activity into their communities.
  • Health Impact Assessments: This series offers a variety of HIA tools to identify and evaluate the effects of policies, plans, programs, and design on health.
  • Metropolitan Council and Health Planning Matrix: This matrix is from Integrating Health into Comprehensive Planning, and it shows where certain health topics can be covered within the comprehensive plan elements.
  • Comprehensive Plan Review Checklists: These Plan Review Checklists summarize the key points of the Design for Health background and health impact assessment materials. Topics match the plan elements required by the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council.
  • Example Plans: This section provides a few overall exemplary plans as well as links to some of the plans highlighted in our Information Sheets, organized by health topic.
  • Topical Planning Guides: These guides provide information about the following topics: how to plan for special populations, how to finance health and planning initiatives, how to use DFH tools in participation process and how to locate research about health topics.
    • Participation and Planning for Health: How can the public participate in planning for health? Which Design for Health tools can be used in participation processes or modified for such use? This fact sheet deals with these two issues in turn.
    • Financing Health and Planning Initiatives: This page provides a list of funding sources that communities can use to help incorporate health into planning through the implementation process. The page is broken down by local, state, federal and private sources of funding.
  • Places in Minnesota: BCBSMN has funded 14 communities to address public health issues in their comprehensive plan updates for 2008, and DFH includes information about each community.
  • Image Slideshows: provide easily accessible photographs to illustrate key health issues.
  • Event Presentations: DFH held an event series in Minnesota that featured national and international experts. Presentations are available on topics such as: safe routes to school and school citing, comprehensive planning for healthy communities, safety and public places, active transportation and facility planning, and others.

Common Planning Topics

Many planning concepts and tools can be used to incorporate a variety of health topics into the plan process. The list below shows which commonly used planning strategies and topics are found in each of the Design for Health planning information sheets. This is not an exhaustive list and the Planning Information Sheet Series covers many more topics.

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