Healthy people living in safe and healthy communities are vital to California’s sustainability and productivity. This week, California’s Health in All Policies Task Force released draft recommendations (available here), and your comments are vital. Comments will be accepted until November 10th at 5:00 p.m, but please do not delay.

The Task Force, comprised of representatives from 19 state agencies and departments, exists under the auspices of the Strategic Growth Council and is poised to place a powerful imprint on how California decision-makers work together to support environments that positively impact health, safety, and equity. The decisions that affect health, safety and equity are often made in sectors other than health and this process creates a venue for agencies and departments to work together on shared goals and to put health, safety, and equity at the center of decision making. Given the upcoming transition of administrations and staff, it is a crucial moment to express support for the Task Force and to ensure that the final recommendations reflect diverse input and advance the interests of communities across the state.

Prevention Institute, Healthy Places Coalition, Strategic Alliance, and Joint Use Statewide Task Force along with our colleagues and partners, submitted recommendations reflected in this draft report, and we encourage you to join us in submitting public comments by November 10th.

Public comment can be made on the content of specific recommendations in the areas including Access to Healthy Food; Active Transportation; Parks, Urban Greening, and Places to Be Active; and Violence Prevention. It is also important that the Task Force and Strategic Growth Council members hear that: