Recorded presentation

Carolina Guzman, MPH¹, Rajiv Bhatia, MD, MPH¹, and Oscar Grande². (1) Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 1390 Market St., Suite 910, San Francisco, CA 94102, 415-252-3972, carolina.guzman@sfdph.org, (2) Environmental Justice, PODER, 474 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94110

Participatory Impact Assessment (PIA) aims to assess the costs and benefits to health and community needs of decisions made by public agencies in a more integrated way and through the active participation of community members affected by these decisions. While existing laws already call for such assessments, the impacts of public decisions are usually evaluated only through the lens of a few specific interests. Opportunities for community involvement in the decisions are often limited, and they may occur only in response to a pre-determined solution. PIA builds on the experience of Environmental Assessment, adapting methods from Health & Social Impact Assessment and Participatory Research. The San Francisco Department of Public Health has begun to incorporate the use of PIA’s in collaboration with grass-roots organizations and other government agencies, including the Planning Department in an effort to promote the integration of ‘scientific-based’ approaches with the experiences and realities of the communities affected by policies and programs, thus building capacity among community members for meaningful participation in important social choices. The SFDPH Participatory Impact Assessment (1) Identifies Community Knowledge and Experience; (2) Facilitates access to scientific knowledge and resources to build capacity among participants; (3) Supports community engagement and empowerment; (4) Promotes the ownership and oversight of the process by the community; (5) Values equity and sustainability. Current experiences in the implementation of PIA in a predominately Latino immigrant community in California will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

(
• Discuss the intersections of urban planning, community development and health. (
• Assess the role of a local public health department in applying state environmental review mandates to the work of city planners. (
• Develop a model for participatory research around the issues of zoning and health.

Keywords: Community Planning, Environmental Justice

Related Web page: www.dph.sf.ca.us/ehs/phesmain.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation