The focus of the internship project will be to conduct an assessment of policies, goals and strategies adopted by cities in San Mateo County to create healthy, equitable communities. A healthy, equitable community is one, which is safe, has a thriving and inclusive economy, high quality education system and offers residents a supportive physical and built environment that make it easier for residents to be healthy in their everyday lives. Local government bodies such as cities through the adoption of laws and policies play an increasingly important role in shaping residents health outcomes – whether it is through polices that increase access to affordable public transportation or housing, interventions to incorporate sidewalks and bike lanes to prevent traffic fatalities or policy efforts to increase household income and build financial security.

The goal of this assessment is to develop a baseline understanding of healthy community policies and strategies adopted and implemented by various cities in San Mateo County and identify gaps and recommend action steps for cities to consider promoting health-improving environments.

Over the summer of 2015, as part of the Healthy Communities Assessment, the HPP Team developed a Safety and Active Transportation (S.A.T.) Policy Assessment Tool. The S.A.T. Assessment was conducted as a pilot project across 2 cities in San Mateo County and was used to gain a baseline understanding of a jurisdiction’s approach to create environments that support pedestrian and bicycle safety in their communities.

The Health Policy and Planning Intern will help HPP measure the extent to which cities are utilizing policies and strategies to create healthy, equitable, communities in San Mateo County. As part of this assessment, the intern will help:

1) Conduct an assessment of active transportation plans, policies and strategies adopted by 3-5 cities in San Mateo County using the Safety and Active Transportation (S.A.T) Policy Assessment Tool developed by the HPP Team.
2) Analyze the data collected and develop tailored 2-4 page S.A.T. Assessment Policy Briefs that include findings and recommendations to share with local jurisdictions.
3) Explore and research 1-2 modules to add to the S.A.T. Assessment to expand the scope of the assessment beyond just active transportation. These could include policies and strategies across the following two HPP priority areas:
a. Healthy Housing: Stable and affordable housing
b. Healthy Economy: Strong local economy and household financial security