Previous Minority Health Initiatives

Below are previous minority health initiatives of the Office of Minority Health:

Anytime, Anywhere Breastfeeding Project

“Anytime, Anywhere” Breastfeeding Success Story

Community Engagement Initiative

In the fall of 2014, the Office of Minority Health funded five community-based organizations to increase community capacity, for a total of $50,000 invested into the community. The University of South Florida’s College of Public Health partnered with our Office to provide programmatic and promotion services. The projects concluded in May 2015.

Final reports for each site are included below:

• Champions for Children – Bootcamp for New Dads
• Feeding America Tampa Bay – Meals for Minds
• Florida Institute for Community Studies – Farms 2 Homes
• LUNA (Latinos Unidos Por Un Nuevo Amanecer) – Education and Navigation for Latinos Affected by Cancer
• Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger – Taste It

Completed Health Impact Assessments

A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a practice that aims to protect and promote health and to reduce inequities in health during a decision-making process (Bhatia, et al., 2014). It is a step by step process that explores the possible positive and negative health effects of a proposed plan, project, program, or policy.

EPA Brownfields Redevelopment Area-Wide Plan HIA (2018):

Evaluated the health impacts of constructing a community park, establishing a community garden and improving community walkability in the University Area. These community assets would provide safe places for children and other residents to play outdoors, increase residents’ access to fresh food and services, thus improving the overall health of our community.

George Road Complete Streets HIA (2017):

Evaluated the health effects of constructing a complete street connecting two trailways in the George Road area. This would improve the overall health of our community by increasing outdoor activities such as walking, biking and using trails. This HIA was conducted in collaboration with the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization.

Parks and Recreation HIA (2015):

Evaluated the health effects of a policy that would permit local businesses to provide outdoor exercise classes in public parks at no cost to the community. This would potentially increase the use of local parks and provide physical activity opportunities for adults, thus improving the overall well-being of the community.

Health in All Policies

Health in All Policies (HiAP) is “a collaborative approach to improving the health of all people by incorporating health considerations into decision-making across sectors and policy areas.”— Public Health Institute: Health in All Policies: A Guide for State and Local Governments

Examples of local HiAP Projects:

• 2019 Transportation Planning and Prioritization Matrix
  
• 2016 Walkability Study in the University Area Community