1. Health Impact Assessment in Michigan
Land Use and Health Resource Team
September 20, 2011

2. What is an HIA? Formal definition:
A combination of procedures, methods, and tools by which a policy, program, or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population, and the distribution of those effects within the population. HIA identifies appropriate actions to manage those effects.
International Association for Health Impact Assessment, 2006

3. HIA Qualifiers There are no legal requirements to perform an HIA
HIA can assess health impacts to populations, communities, and individuals and may consider health and ecological risks, however:
HIA is not a health risk assessment
HIA is not an ecological risk assessment
The groundwork for assessing the health effects of policies, programs, or projects was laid by NEPA
NEPA can provide guidelines for the HIA process

4. HIA Predicts Social Determinants of Health
How does the proposed policy,
project, or plan affect:
Democratic process
Housing
Air quality
Noise
Safety
Social networks
Parks and natural space
Public Services
Transportation
Social equity
Livelihood
Water quality
Education
Nutrition
Private goods and services
And lead to health outcomes?

5. HIA Purpose Primary Secondary
Judge health effects of a proposed project, program, or policy
Highlight disparities
Provide recommendations
Shape public decisions and discourse
Make health impacts more explicit
Secondary
Engage and empower community
Emphasize everyday experiences
Build consensus
Build relationships and collaborations

6. Suggested Steps in HIA Screening - Determines if an HIA should occur
Scoping - Determines what to do and how to do it
Assessment & Recommendations - Provides: a) a profile of existing health conditions; b) evaluation of potential health impacts; c) strategies to manage identified adverse health impacts
Reporting - Development of the HIA report and communication of findings and recommendations
Monitoring - Tracks impacts on decision-making processes and the decision, as well as impacts of the decision on health determinants.

7. HIA can evaluate many types of programs, projects, plans, or policies
Land use: Housing Developments, revitalization plans
Transportation Plans: New transit stations, roadway expansions, new rail lines
Comprehensive or specific area plans: Guides for future development
City, state, or national policies: Labor, education, incarceration, immigration
Health planning: Menu labeling

8. Potential HIA projects in Mid-Michigan
Meridian Township HIA Checklist
Complete Streets Ordinances
Grand River Corridor Study
Urban Services Boundary
Affordable Healthy Food System
Community Health Assessment
Regional Intergovernmental Cooperation and Shared Services
Other? Etc.

9. HIA Resources http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/hia.htm
Human Impact Partners
Health Impact Project
Centers for Disease Control