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HI-5 Stories from Public Health Innovators

Public Health Innovators Beanner, Smart investments, working partnerships, better health in 5 years.

HI-5 community-wide approaches can improve health in the places where we live, learn, work, and play.  Learn how public health innovators are working with multisector partners, bringing data to the table and convening stakeholders in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, and North Carolina.

Introducing or Expanding Public Transportation

bus icon

Introducing or expanding public transportation is a HI-5 intervention that helps people reach everyday destinations, such as jobs, schools, healthy food outlets and healthcare facilities, safely and reliably. Learn more about how transit agencies and public health work together:

Photo of resident placing his bike on the front of a mass transit bus.

New partnerships emerged in Maricopa County, AZ, when transportation and planning agencies assessed the health impact of a proposed transit expansion.

Photo of new public transit vehicles in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco, CA provided paratransit services to reduce transit barriers for disabled, elderly, and lower-income patients trying to reach their healthcare appointments.

Photo of mass transit vehicle maintenance facility at Stapleton Airport, Denver CO.

In Denver CO, a local community foundation facilitated the process of expanding light rail in a vulnerable neighborhood, by training residents and transit officials to communicate effectively with each other.

Photo showing a mass transit vehicle in Florida.

Florida is meeting the transportation needs of a diverse population, from rural to urban, from millennials to retirees, by offering a menu of multimodal transit options tailored to the needs of different communities.

Photo of a public mass transit project in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts is tackling crumbling infrastructure, while increasing mobility and access to jobs, schools, and healthcare. Read how they replaced an old overpass with a pedestrian-friendly boulevard that provides access to light rail.

Photo of a mass transit buss driving down a street in Minneapolis, MN.

Minnesota improved accommodations for biking and walking to make it easier for people to access transit stops. In the process, they reduced transportation and health inequities.

Photo showing a mass transit vehicle in Mississippi.

On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hurricane Katrina devastated infrastructure. But the storm also gave the local health department and transit agency an opportunity to collaborate to build new modes of active and mass transit.

Photo showing a mass transit vehicle in Columbia, MO.

When Columbia, Missouri’s county transportation department overhauled its outdated public transit system, they turned to the county health department for a health impact assessment to help in the transit planning process.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS)

crossing guard icon

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a HI-5 intervention that helps students find safe and active transportation to school. SRTS helps communities educate students and families and find ways to build safe walking and biking infrastructure. Learn how communities are working to encourage active and safe transportation routes for students:

Two young boys sit on bikes outside of a school building.

In North Carolina, transportation and public health leaders collaborated to help children be active on the way to school. Public health innovators worked with community partners to support policies, training programs, and infrastructure updates that help children stay safe while walking or biking to school.

School-Based Programs to Increase Physical Activity

playground icon

School-Based Programs to Increase Physical Activity is a HI-5 intervention to help students become more physically active. From including physical activity in normal classroom activities, to expanding physical education classes, learn how schools and public health work together to improve students’ health:

Georgia started a program to make 30 minutes of physical activity a part of every school day. Using facts to show how physical activity improves academic performance and attendance, public health innovators worked with schools to create active classroom time and provide annual fitness checks.

Watch these videos to hear how state policy and public health innovators are increasing physical activity in schools.

Watch this interview to learn how state policy and public health innovators in North Carolina are increasing school-based physical activity and changing the way students are active every day.

Watch how Georgia Shape worked with schools to create active classroom time, provide annual fitness checks, and improve students’ health.

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