Get Involved

Webinars

Below, we have a list of archived webinars and presentations hosted by the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign that provide training on a number of HEAL policies that cities and towns can adopt.

Increase the Health of your General/Comprehensive Plans

This webinar features three expert speakers who will present the case for including health in general or comprehensive plans and share specific examples of success among organizations and cities across the U.S. Participants learn practices for enacting healthy general/comp plans, what steps lead to responsive and sound policy, and accessible tools that can help them move forward right away. Find the webinar recording here.

Healthy Procurement: Practices and Policies for Healthier Food Options

This webinar features three expert speakers who present the case for healthy procurement policies and share specific examples of success among organizations and cities across the U.S. Participants learn practices for enacting healthy procurement policies, what steps lead to responsive and sound policy, and accessible tools that can help them move forward right away. Put your money where your health is! Find the webinar recording here.

Making the Case for Worksite Wellness

This webinar features three expert speakers who present the case for workplace wellness policies and share specific examples of success among organizations and cities in California and the U.S. Participants learn how policies support wellness programs, what steps lead to responsive and sound policy, and accessible tools that can help them move forward right away. Ge the inside scoop on sustaining healthy workplaces and more! Find the webinar recording here.

Paving the road for complete streets policy

This webinar features three expert speakers who present the case for complete streets policies and share specific examples of success among organizations and cities in California, Colorado, Virginia and the U.S. Participants learn best practices for enacting complete streets policies, what steps lead to responsive and sound policy, and accessible tools that can help them move forward right away. Find the webinar recording here.

Building Healthy Economies Through Healthy Communities

This webinar features three expert speakers who present the case for complete streets policies and share specific examples of success among organizations and cities in California, Colorado, Virginia and the U.S. Participants learn best practices for enacting complete streets policies, what steps lead to responsive and sound policy, and accessible tools that can help them move forward right away. Find the webinar recording here.

Food policy and regional food systems: opportunities for networking across jurisdictions

SPONSORED BY: The Institute for Public Health Innovation and The Center for a Livable Future.

Where does your local food policy council fit within the regional food system? Would you like to play a stronger role in both your locality and at a regional level but not sure how? Would you like to play a stronger role in both your locality and at a regional level but not sure how? Functioning with limited resources and volunteer members, it can often be easiest for a food policy council to concentrate locally. By understanding the role of local food policy councils within the context of a regional food system, groups can network across geographies to maximize impact and effectiveness of policy changes.

During this webinar, expert panelists will address a number of big picture questions local food policy councils have about regional food systems, including:

  • The role of local food policy councils within a regional network
  • When is it beneficial to connect across a region
  • How to determine your “region” and what to do when definitions vary
  • Best practices and challenges to organizing and building regional networks, including resources and infrastructure needed

These issues will be addressed to show participants how networking across jurisdictions can positively influence food system change. The webinar will also include time for participant Q&A.

(Archived February 12, 2015)

Presentation at Maryland Municipal League Annual Convention 2014: The Economic and Health Benefits of Walkable, Bikeable Communities

As a local government leader, we know that you care about the health and prosperity of your community and its residents. This session is an opportunity to learn about effective strategies to create vibrant, attractive places where people like to spend time and money by making it easier for people to walk, bike, and commute safely. Learn how walkable, bikeable communities promote tourism, local businesses, and community cohesion. This session will highlight examples from Maryland municipalities small and large, from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, as well as provide information on resources available to the State’s cities and towns.

(Archived June 11, 2014)

Enhancing Walking and Biking in Rural & Suburban Cities

Sponsored by the HEAL Cities Campaigns of California, Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic and Northwest, this webinar covered policy and funding opportunities to enhance the pedestrian and bike infrastructure in rural and suburban cities. Specific topics will include complete streets, safe walking to schools, walking and economic development and federal transportation funds. Speakers will include a subject matter expert and city officials from around the country. Speakers included:

  • Ian Thomas, Board Member of America WALKS and council member in Columbus MO, addressing why walking and biking are key strategies for rural and suburban cities and how effective policies and programs can support them.

  • Mayor Heidi Williams of Thornton CO, sharing her city’s funding strategy for building and maintaining trails and bike lanes in a suburban setting.

  • Kevin Belanger, Planner in Rockville MD who shared strategies for using developer fees to build sidewalks and bike lanes.

(Archived: January 23, 2014)

Sponsored by the Institute for Public Health Innovation’s HEAL Cities and Town Campaign for the Mid-Atlantic, this webinar covered strategies, resources, and success stories for improving municipal employees’ access to healthy foods in the municipal workplace, such as healthy vending, healthy meeting policies, and nutrition standards. Speakers include: Sarah Reuben and Amy Friedman from Minneapolis, MN, Erica Krepp from Arlington County, VA, and Q Dang from ChangeLab Solutions.

(Archived: January 9, 2014)

The Institute for Public Health Innovation hosted a webinar on starting food policy councils at three levels of government jurisdiction: local, county, and state. The webinar featured speakers from:
– City of Staunton, VA Food Policy Task Force
– Prince George’s County, MD Food Equity Council
– Virginia Food System Council

(Archived: October 31, 2013)

Across the country, local elected officials are working to make their communities healthier places to live, work, learn, and play. In rural and small communities, elected officials are examining and implementing solutions to improve access to healthy food and make it easier for people to be physically active. This webinar provided examples of best practices that smaller cities and towns are implementing. It provided tips on how best to communicate and get the support of fellow elected public officials and the public.

Sponsored by: the National HEAL Cities Campaign Collaborative, Prevention Institute, American Public Health Association

(Archived: September 23, 2013)

The rising cost of health care and the declining health of the municipal workforce are subjects of great concern to municipal leaders.  This webinar covered:

  • Essential components of a successful workplace wellness program;

  • How workplace wellness boost morale and productivity;

  • How to communicate with unions and union members; and

  • Who to contact for model workplace wellness policies and technical assistance to your city

Sponsored by: The National HEAL Cities Campaign Collaborative

(Archived: June 7, 2013)