New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI)’s Upstream Action Acceleration initiative furthers the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) vision of building a Culture of Health by supporting the efforts of existing community-focused, cross-sector coalitions to adopt and implement upstream environmental, policy, and systems changes. The initiative is also intended to accelerate the work of 12 coalitions over a two-year period in areas they have already identified as priorities for improving community health. These include Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), new sector engagement, effective use of data tools and resources to guide actions, civic engagement, environment/open space, and housing.
NJHI staff first learned about Healthy Places by Design through our management of the Roadmaps Action Acceleration and Collaborative Learning initiative. Inspired by that approach, NJHI partnered with our organization to leverage our unique strengths, which include a national perspective; expertise in community change and policy, systems, and environmental strategies; and our history of collaboration with RWJF.
Healthy Places by Design has supported this initiative by:
Specific services that Healthy Places by Design is providing include:
“I can’t overemphasize how pleased we are with this partnership. We take a fierce pride in how we come across, and appreciate that Healthy Places by Design brings the same level of professionalism. They invested so much in the front end, at the 30,000-foot level, that they had a good sense of what this was about and where we are trying to go. It makes it easier for them to know how to work with us now. They were at the front end [of this effort], when we readily admitted that we stole their ideas from other upstream work.”
BOB ATKINS
Director, NJHI
“Everything is so well-planned, well- thought-out, and well-aligned with our work that there are no worries. We work with a lot of consultants, and Healthy Places by Design is one I know will deliver on time and what they promise… It’s stellar work.”
DIANE HAGERMAN
Deputy Director of Programs, NJHI
“I can’t overemphasize how pleased we are with this partnership.”