Chair: Dr. Val Arkoosh, Montgomery County Commissioner and DVRPC Board Member, and Kelli McIntyre, Health Justice and Livability Projects Manager, Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Philadelphia Department of Public Health
Staff Coordinator(s): Amy Verbofsky
Meeting Frequency: Quarterly
Healthy communities planning recognizes that the way we design and build our communities can affect our physical and mental health. It acknowledges that many different people—planners, designers, transportation officials, and developers—have a role to play in ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy life.
DVRPC first convened the Healthy Communities Task Force in 2014 to bring together public health, planning, and related professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area. The Task Force provides a venue for people interested in fostering healthy communities to learn about other communities, both near and far, that are successfully integrating planning and public health. It serves as a way for professionals in these fields and stakeholders in our communities to deepen their understanding of healthy communities and build the relationships to achieve them.