Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an objective tool used to predict and measure the potential health impacts of a project, policy or program and how those impacts might affect the health of the population. The purpose of health impact assessment is to infuse health as a criterion for decision-making into community projects and plans. HIA is similar in some ways to an environmental impact assessment, which are mandated processes that focus on environmental outcomes such as air and water quality. How they differ is that a HIA can be either a voluntary or regulatory process that focuses on health outcomes such as obesity, physical inactivity, asthma, injuries and social equity. Outcomes include recommendations to enhance the positive health impacts and to mitigate the negative health impacts identified during the HIA.

RiverStone Health’s recent Health Impact Assessment projects include:

• Better Billings Foundation Aquatic Center Health Impact Assessment
• Yellowstone County/City of Billings Growth Policy Health Impact Assessment

+ view the Health Impact Assessment tutorial: Planning for Healthy Places with Health Impact Assessment
+ download article: Use of Health Impact Assessment in the U.S.: 27 Case Studies, 1999-2007

For more information please contact:

Jennifer Staton
Jennifer.Sta@riverstonehealth.org
406.651.6443