Efforts to improve public health encompass a myriad of local services. In addition to those service areas with traditional public health roles – public safety, water, and sanitation – local governments increasingly realize that planning, infrastructure, parks and recreation, public transportation, and community development also greatly impact the health of residents.

To discuss the growing complexity of public health, we are collaborating with Paula Sanford, PhD, University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, and Joshua Franzel, PhD, International City/County Management Association and Center for State and Local Government Excellence, to host a Twitter chat on Thursday, August 11 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. This is an opportunity for local government professionals to learn more about effectively aligning local service delivery and public health goals.

Through the sharing of knowledge and best practices, this Twitter chat will highlight:

• The importance of healthy communities and will discuss a new report available to local government leaders titled Improving Quality of Life: The Effective of Aligning Local Service Delivery and Public Health Goals.
• How communities around the world are seeing new trends in historical public health roles, including public safety, water, and sanitation.
• The leading public health challenges facing countries around the globe – combating such unhealthy behaviors as physical inactivity and obesity, which often lead to chronic diseases.
• Creative ways communities can engage the public in improving its own health.
• How to integrate public health into decision making, and more!

We can only have healthy communities if local government leaders establish a culture that is supportive of healthy choices. Join us for a Twitter chat on Thursday, August 11, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, and learn how traditional services previously not thought of as having a health aspect contribute to public health; share your community’s efforts; and download resources!

To join the Twitter chat on August 11, follow @ICMA, @jmfranzel, and @CVIOG_UGA. Ask us your questions and share your experiences using #PublicHealthGoals. If you don't have a Twitter account, you can follow the conversation here. 

Improving Quality of Life: The Effect of Aligning Local Service Delivery and Public Health Goals was prepared by Paula Sanford, PhD, University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; and Joshua Franzel, PhD, International City County Management Association and Center for State and Local Government Excellence.

Paula Sanford, PhD, University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Dr. Sanford is a Public Service and Outreach faculty member for the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government. She has a specialty in public budgeting and finance but her work spans a variety of local government issues such as performance measurement, comprehensive financial and organizational reviews, and city-county consolidation.

Joshua Franzel, PhD, International City/County Management Association and Center for State and Local Government Excellence

Dr. Franzel is a director of policy research for the International City/County Management Association and the vice president of research for the Center for State and Local Government Excellence. His research has focused on state and local government management, public finance, public pensions and other public funds, infrastrcture, health care financing, demographics, public health, and government innovation.