CHNA 20 is well known as a connecting agency in the Blue Hills Region. Recently, we’ve been recognized widely for our efforts to direct the Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council, as well as our work to support local partner agencies in their COVID response protocols. But many of our daily engagements in the community are less visible -- yet they’re a critical part of our mission. In our new blog series, we’ll be sharing more about how CHNA 20’s presence on local and regional task forces, committees and planning councils helps shape public health improvements in the Blue Hills.
What’s the community project, and what’ s the CHNA’s role?
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) oversees eight subregions in the greater Boston area. One of these subregions is represented by the Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC), a working group of municipal stakeholders from 14 communities in Norfolk County. The group’s mission is to “support cooperative municipal planning that links the impacts of growth and development in each town to aggregate impacts felt through the region.”
This collective impact planning effort addresses a variety of regional issues, including the social determinants of health. Currently TRIC is expanding its network of stakeholders in an effort to include more diverse voices and perspectives, prioritizing equity and inclusion conversations in its work.
In addition to holding a seat on the working group and actively participating in TRIC’s efforts through helping to expand the stakeholder network and offering a public health perspective to the team, CHNA 20 also provides financial support. Historically, CHNAs across Massachusetts have received funds through the DoN (Determination of Need) program. Although that funding structure underwent significant changes in 2018, CHNA 20 is fortunate to have a portion of DoN funds remaining from Norwood Hospital. As part of our mission to support multi-sector collaboration in public health efforts throughout our region, we are pleased to be able to allocate those DoN dollars to supporting resident engagement in our communities within the TRIC region, including Milton, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, and Norwood.
Why is this project important to the CHNA’s mission?
We believe that the path to sustainable positive change for the health of our communities lies in multi-sector, collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts that address the root causes of public health inequities rather than treating the symptoms. TRIC’s mission of supporting cooperative planning across municipalities, and doing so within a framework that considers how decisions made in one community will affect the neighboring towns and cities, is a strong example of the kind of interdisciplinary collaboration we have pledged to expand in the Blue Hills.
In addition, our focus calls for prioritizing equity concerns in order to minimize public health disparities. We know that deep community engagement and examination of the social determinants of health are two crucial ingredients to the success of any long-term improvements to the public health landscape. TRIC’s main activities dovetail with our commitment to health equity and participatory engagement through facilitated dialogue and demographic research:
Understanding regional context. MAPC staff researched the spatial composition of different racial and ethnic populations within the region. That information will be used to ensure that a demographically representative field of participants is placed at the forefront of future planning conversations around important issues like land use, housing, and transportation.
Gathering stakeholder perspectives. Interviews have also been conducted with key stakeholders to gain firsthand information on regional efforts to address systemic racism, as well as the processes in place for engaging residents in different municipalities in meaningful roles within their communities.
Facilitating dialogue. TRIC has also shaped community conversations between regional stakeholders -- public, community-based, and institutional -- with the goal of developing shared understanding around goals and next steps for community engagement. The working group aims to address issues such as structural and cultural barriers to resident participation in civic activities; highlighting the value of resident participation in meaningful planning structures such as boards and committees; and increasing the capacity of local governments to improve communications and community engagement efforts.
What are the next steps, and how will the CHNA contribute?
TRIC plans to undertake two regionally significant projects in the Spring/Summer of 2021. One will address housing, the other transportation. Both projects will require significant community engagement, and TRIC will explore how the two initiatives intersect and how they will impact the region. Through working on these projects, TRIC hopes to further expand stakeholder networks that can help to integrate public health, human service, and equity perspectives into both the transportation and housing initiatives.
Due to our deeply demonstrated commitment to advancing transportation equity efforts within the Blue Hills region through our BHRCC project, the CHNA is uniquely positioned to offer guidance and support to TRIC’s engagement with these upcoming initiatives. We will continue to leverage our relationships with community representatives and agencies to help expand TRIC’s stakeholder networks, and share our own learnings around transportation equity and community engagement to bolster their work.
How can I, or my organization, get involved with this community effort?
As with any worthwhile public health initiative in the Blue Hills region, we encourage interested individuals and agencies to get involved! You can:
Attend any one of TRIC’s meetings and events, which are open to the general public;
Consider joining our BHRCC efforts to help support the CHNA’s work around transportation equity, which will in turn help to strengthen our contributions to TRIC’s efforts;
Or contact TRIC Subregional Coordinator Josh Eichen to ask further questions about the working group and its upcoming initiatives. Questions can be directed to jeichen@mapc.org.