Public Health

What we do

The public health work at MAPC is guided by  MetroFuture, recognizing the growing importance of linking health and planning. The team integrates public health perspectives in MAPC’s planning and policy work, helping to ensure that residents throughout our region have access to open space and healthy food; utilize modes of transportation that encourage healthy lifestyles; live in violence free communities with safe and clean housing; have equal access to health care services; and have limited exposure to environmental contaminants and pollution. 

Community Transformation Grant projects

Many of MAPC's public health projects are funded through the Middlesex County Community Transformation Grant (CTG), awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The grant funds projects in the following program areas:

Healthy Eating

• Healthy Dining Options

Safe and Healthy Environments

• Photovoice projects

• Shannon Grant community safety initiative

• Hubway bike share

Active Living

• Opening aqueduct trails for public use

• Safe Routes to School

• Mystic River walking routes

Clinical Healthy services

Tobacco-free living

Health Impact Assessments (HIAs)

A Healthy Impact Assessment (HIA) is a tool for maximizing the positive health effects and mitigating the negative effects of a proposed project, plan, or policy. An HIA can highlight health disparities, raise awareness among decision makers and the public of potential health impacts, and provide recommendations. 

• Speed Limit Reduction HIA

• Quequechan River Rail Trail HIA

• Codman Square development HIA

• A Healthy T for a Healthy Region
  A health impacts assessment of proposed MBTA service cuts and fare increase

Past projects

• Public Health Region 4A Coalition

Resources

• Massachusetts Department of Public Health

• Massachusetts Public Health Association

Questions?

For more information contact Public Health Manager Barry Keppard at 617-933-0750 or bkeppard@mapc.org.