Tools

In creating healthier places professionals, government leaders, and activists use a range of tools including:

  • Broad multi-party initiatives such as the UN Healthy Cities program or Health in All Policies (HiAP) approaches.

    Community Garden in Boston
  • Health Impact Assessments are focused on particular plans, projects, or programs and are often used as one tool to implement HiAP.
  • Single-topic tools such as safety audits, walkability assessments, asset maps, and food security assessments. These have often been developed outside of the heath arena.
  • Healthy community physical plans and designs such as cycling infrastructure or transit-oriented development. Many of these overlap with related practices in social or community design and sustainable planning.
This section of the web site focuses on these tools. It overlaps with the part of the web site focused on resources, providing a different entry point.