Description
A healthy communities approach breaks down silos聽and allows us to think about health and community聽in the broadest of terms through a social聽determinants lens. In order for communities to effect聽positive sustainable changes, a paradigm shift will be聽required where process is valued as highly as outcomes聽and communities have autonomy to determine their聽notion of health by engaging in systematic and聽deliberate planning processes. Healthy communities聽and healthy community processes are mutually聽reinforcing. Strong community processes lead to聽improved community health. In turn, the vibrancy聽and health of the community further builds the聽capacity of the community to engage in healthy聽planning. For communities struggling to achieve聽health, the healthy communities process is a strong聽catalyst for change.