The American Planning Association - Illinois Chapter (APA-IL) and the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) are excited to announce the launch of HealthyComunitiesIllinois.org, a new website to facilitate learning, idea-sharing and connections among urban planners, engineers, and public health professionals.
An outgrowth of early efforts by the Illinois Planners4Health task force, HealthyCommuntiesIllinois.org was conceived as a first-of-its-kind platform to enable conversations and information exchanges among public health and urban planning professionals.
HealthyCommuntiesIllinois.org will facilitate learning, connections among planners, engineers, & public health. One of the main features is a password-protected Forum to encourage discussion. Topics include: Equity and Inclusion, Food Access and Security, Funding and Administration, Housing Affordability, Mobility, Open Space and Recreation, Social Determinants of Health and Urban Design/Built Environment. The website also has a Resource section, an Events Calendar and Blog.
The website is also intended to highlight successes and lessons learned from IPHI's Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program (ISPAN). ISPAN is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded initiative to implement physical activity and nutrition interventions in Illinois. The ISPAN initiative also supports HealthyCommunitiesIllinois.org.
We hope you find HealthyCommuntiesIllinois.org to be easy to use and impactful as it serves as the “one stop shop” for the integration of health and planning in Illinois. We strongly encourage you to add this new tool to your planning toolbelt.
How do I engage with others at HealthyCommuntiesIllinois.org?
It's simple, visit www.healthycommunitiesillinois.org and click on the Sign Up button in the upper right corner of the page. Once your login is created you will be able to post to the website's Forum.
What if I'm not ready to create a login, can I still see Forum conversations?
Yes, we encourage you to use this website and the Forum as a resource for your work. We hope that you will find the site easy to use and full of conversations of which you you’ll want to be a part of.
How do I get my event on the website's Events Calendar?
Please email your event (with date, time, place, description, and link for registration) to webmaster@ilapa.org. We request that only events pertaining to building healthy communities in Illinois be submitted.
Can I submit a resource to be listed on the website?
Yes! We would like this to be a repository for information that health professionals and urban planners can use to create healthier communities in Illinois. We do reserve the right to refuse materials that may not pertain to the website's theme of health, planning, and Illinois communities.
Who can I contact if I have a question?
Please email webmaster@ilapa.org with any questions.