Creating healthier communities: a compendium of models

Old paradigms are hard to change. Individual leaders in discreet organizations can no longer be solely responsible for the health of the populations they serve. Citizens cannot rely on outdated models of health, in which traditional healthcare played the primary part in defining and ensuring the well-being of the members of the community. Today, to achieve a "healthier community," individuals must join with organizations and stakeholders to listen to the needs of those they serve and to broaden their idea of what creates health. The concept of the healthier communities movement is based on improving the health and quality of life of communities by forming partnerships and collaborations among public, private, and voluntary agencies and organizations. To become healthy, a community must evaluate and understand its unique needs and pool its resources--whether human, organizational, or financial--in innovative ways. Strategies need to be established to deal with the issues faced by our communities--rural, suburban, or urban, whether it is healthcare for migrant workers, domestic violence prevention projects, or health clinics for inner-city schools. Programs and services must reside where the needs are, and often those needs become apparent only when all members of the community are engaged in a dialogue and each voice can be heard. The models on the following pages illustrate the success of the healthier communities movement--when citizens, government, and community leaders commit to making health a priority for all members of the population.