Designing Healthy Communities: A NYC Town Hall Meeting

The Design­ing Healthy Com­mu­ni­ties Project pro­duced its first Town Hall Meet­ing at WNET/Stu­dios on April 30, 2013 for broad­cast on three PBS tri-state sta­tions in May.

This first major com­mu­nity engage­ment activ­ity is derived from its four-hour pub­lic tele­vi­sion series, Design­ing Healthy Com­mu­ni­ties, which is now being dis­trib­uted to sta­tions nationally.

The series, Designing Healthy Communities, examines the connection between poor community design and burgeoning health costs based upon key public health indices: obesity, diabetes, heart, asthma, cancer and depression, a concept first researched by Dr. Richard Jackson, a pediatrician-turned-public–health officer. The New York panel discussion will pick up the conversation about the common characteristics of unhealthy communities and how they can be changed with area experts.

Sixteen panelists, led by series host and narrator Dr. Jackson, discuss a variety of topics from the series, including: reliance on fossil fuel for navigation; limited walking space; lack of access to green parks, trails, and gardens; pollution and more. Discussion also touches upon the impact of recent events-- like Superstorm Sandy-- on the health of local communities. The two-hour recorded discussion is moderated by Mike Schneider, managing editor of NJTV’s weeknight news program, NJ Today with Mike Schneider.

Learn more here.