Health in All Policies

Health in All Policies (HiAP) is an encompassing approach that goes beyond the boundaries of the public health sector. HiAP can be defined as a collaborative approach that integrates and articulates health and equity considerations into policy making and programming across sectors, and at all levels, to improve the health of all communities and people. HiAP requires public health practitioners to collaborate with other sectors to define and achieve mutually beneficial goals.

Health in All Policies: An Introduction

HiAP Framework

ASTHO has developed a HiAP framework which outlines a history of HiAP in the United States and around the world, showcases state and local examples of successes, and provides strategies for implementation. It also includes key elements of HiAP practice and potential short-, intermediate-, and long-term outcomes of HiAP initiatives. The framework complements many of the other resources that can be found on this HiAP webpage.

The State of HiAP Report

Building upon our previous work, ASTHO has developed a report that provides a background on HiAP, including linkages to health equity, and looks at case studies from nine states across the country that have integrated HiAP activities into the work of the state health agency. The report provides “quick facts” about each state initiative, including year started, partners involved, type of partnerships, funding, and more. The report also describes known impacts of the HiAP programs, keys to success, challenges, and common program themes across the states.

Framing Health in All Policies: Terms That Resonate

Health in All Policies (HiAP) can be a successful strategy to expand collaboration between health agencies and other partners, but the terminology used in programs focused on these efforts can differ. ASTHO partnered with the Kansas Health Institute to host listening sessions to better understand state terminology and framing around HiAP; explore lessons learned, challenges, and alternative framing for HiAP terminology; and assess how HiAP framing and associated efforts have evolved over time, especially in the context of COVID-19 and the increased spotlight on the importance of racial equity.

Learn more about Framing Health in All Policies: Terms that Resonate, and read the full report »

Implementing a Health in All Polices Approach to Lead Poisoning Prevention

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to using a Health in All Policies (HiAP) strategy to address lead poisoning prevention. When implementing HiAP activities, health agencies can exist in multiple phases of engagement at the same time, depending on the types of activities. ASTHO held key informant interviews with staff from four state health agencies to learn more about their state childhood lead poisoning prevention programs and better understand how each agency employs a HiAP approach in its programmatic work. The key themes pulled from the discussions can be found in this report.

Learn more about Implementing a Health in All Polices Approach to Lead Poisoning Prevention, and read the full report »

Environmental Health in All Policies

Environmental health is concerned with how interactions between humans and their environments impact human health. The field emerged to protect people from chemical or biological threats in their environment like air pollution and waterborne diseases. More recently, the field focuses on creating health promoting environments, such as homes, workplaces, schools, neighborhoods and communities. HiAP provides a framework for working with other sectors to address these multifaceted issues. ASTHO has developed a series of topic-specific, evidence-based guides that catalogue policies and programs that link environmental issues that have benefited from a health perspective. The sectors focused on include transportation, housing, food, and water.

HiAP Toolkit Highlights Innovative Leadership to Support the National Prevention Strategy

In support of the National Prevention Strategy, ASTHO produced this innovative resource to educate and empower public health leaders to promote a Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach to policymaking and program development. By collaborating across multiple sectors to address health disparities and empower individuals, promoting healthy communities, and ensuring quality clinical and community preventive services, we can increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. To support your efforts, a description of the National Prevention Strategy is enclosed along with key talking points to explain a HiAP approach to other leaders in your state or locality's government, characteristics of successful cross-sector collaboration, and a collection of state stories meant to inspire you into action! The toolkit is available in a page-turning digital edition as well as a PDF.

An Assessment of Cross-Sector Collaboration in State Health Agencies

Promoting Health in All Policies: An Assessment of Cross-Sector Collaboration Among State Health Agencies (2018)
Following up on a 2012 report from ASTHO, this assessment describes the partners and types of collaboration happening between state health agencies (SHAs) and other groups. Data for the new assessment pulls from the recent ASTHO Profile of State and Territorial Public Health, Vol. 4 (Profile Survey). Results indicate that SHAs are collaborating with many partners in their communities and across governmental sectors at the local, state, federal, and tribal levels, as well as with many non-governmental agencies such as hospitals, schools, faith communities, and businesses. Collaboration can occur through many different activities, such as information sharing, formal agreements like memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and even funding mechanisms. This report summarizes the breadth of activities that are instrumental for HiAP approaches.