Health and the Built Environment
About Us
The Built Environment includes all the physical structures engineered and built by people. These structures include homes, workplaces, road systems, open space and parks, schools, stores, and transit arrangements. How a community is designed can either encourage or discourage physical activity. With a healthy community design, residents are able to participate in physical activity and help combat health issues such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and asthma.
The Health and the Built Environment Committee was established in 2006 to enhance the knowledge of public officials and community stakeholders about the health impacts of urban planning and transportation infrastructure. Committee initiatives focus on drafting letters of support, contacting officials, and presenting to various stakeholder groups, detailing the relationship between our built environment and our community's health. In addition, the Committee coordinates with businesses, non-profit organizations, local government and individuals to identify and apply for grant funding to address barriers to physical activity and improve access to healthy foods and recreation areas.
Goals
- To increase awareness of the relationship between the built environment and the community’s health.
- To support policies that promote incidental physical activity and access to healthful foods.
- To foster collaborations between organizations and act as a catalyst for an environment that supports a healthier Miami-Dade County.
Meeting Information
The Health and the Built Environment Committee meets every second Tuesday of each month at Stephen P. Clark Government Center, 111 NW 1 Street, 9th Floor Conference Room, Miami Fl 33128 from 10:00am – 12:00pm.
Committee Facilitators
Chair: David Henderson, Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization
Vice-Chair: Anamarie Garces de Marcilla, Urban Health Solutions
For more information, please contact Fabio Machado at fabio_machado@doh.state.fl.us or call (305) 278-0442.