Healthy Communities
The Healthy Communities Program works with a variety of partners including elected officials, county staff, city staff, community organizations, schools and residents. Together, we assist cities and neighborhoods to improve health and quality of life for residents by reducing traffic injuries, community violence, and exposure to second hand smoke and lead. We also provide assistance in promoting physical activity and access to healthy food.
We accomplish this work through an array of programs that focus on the following.
Injuries
Auto-centric neighborhoods expose pedestrians, bicyclists and others to car crashes—the leading cause of unintentional injury death.
Nutrition and Food Security
Contra Costa County has 4.66 times as many fast food restaurants and convenience stores as grocery stores and produce vendors, making it difficult for many residents to eat a healthy diet.
Lead Poisoning
In many older neighborhoods, lead dust from older homes hurts many parts of the body—particularly the growing brains and nervous systems of young children.
Physical Activity
Many places in Contra Costa County do not have infrastructure that promotes physical activity (such as complete streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and parks), thus contributing to diabetes, chronic diseases and obesity.
Tobacco
Secondhand smoke makes many public spaces and multifamily housing units toxic, exposing even non-smokers to lung cancer and heart disease.
Climate Change
The Climate Action Plan (CAP), adopted in December 2015, is the County’s strategic approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources throughout the unincorporated area. The CAP reflects the County’s programs and actions to decrease energy use, improve energy efficiency, develop renewable energy, reduce vehicle miles traveled, increase multi-modal travel options, expand green infrastructure, reduce waste, and improve the efficiency of government operations. The CAP also forecasts the County’s greenhouse gas emissions and sets reduction targets and strategies.
Our work is consistent with practices approved by the Board of Supervisors and Contra Costa Health leadership. Examples of current and past projects include: