Health Action
Who is the Health Action Partnership?
The Health Action Partnership of Jefferson County is a coalition of over 80 organizations focused on improving community health through policy, system and environmental changes. The mission of the Health Action Partnership is to make Jefferson County a healthier place to live, learn, work and play. Health Action Partners strive for a Jefferson County that is a healthy, thriving and connected community recognized as such statewide and nationally. For more information on how the Health Action Partnership is structured and the governing bylaws see the 
Articles of Collaboration.
How was the Health Action Partnership established?
Local public health system partners established the Health Action Partnership in 2007 to accomplish the goals and strategies identified through the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) community health assessment and strategic planning process conducted from 2005-2007. From 2007 to 2013, grants from the YMCA of the USA, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Department of Health and Human Services and the Public Health Advised Fund helped the Health Action Partnership to take major strides towards reducing obesity and tobacco use in Jefferson County.
Where is the Health Action Partnership going?
In 2014, the Jefferson County Department of Health, with strong support from the local public health system, again conducted the MAPP process in an effort called Community Matters 20/20.
The information gathered during the Community Matters 20/20 process led to the development of the Jefferson County Community Health Improvement Plan for health in Jefferson County. The Health Action Partnership shaped its current priority areas around the strategic issues in the Community Health Improvement Plan. Several of the priorities build on the past work of the partnership, while others are taking the partnership in new directions.
The current priority areas and respective goals are:
- Advancing Health Equity: Reduce health disparities associated with race, ethnicity and economic status
- Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Promote physical well-being through healthy lifestyles
- Optimize the Built Environment, Transportation System, and Safety: Improve the availability, access to and maintenance of trails, sidewalks, parks and other public recreational facilities, while improving availability and access to reliable public transportation and improving the safety of the physical environment
- Optimize Health Care Access, Availability and Utilization: Increase access of Jefferson County residents to primary healthcare and increase the utilization of preventive health screenings
- Improve Mental Health: Increase the availability of and access to mental health services for children and adults living in Jefferson County.
Priority Groups for each of these five priority areas include a wide array of Health Action partners, working together around shared objectives and strategies to improve health in Jefferson County.
What has the Health Action Partnership achieved?
Since the Health Action Partnership’s inception, a strong record of collaborative achievements has been amassed. Working through community organizations, neighborhood coalitions and local advocates, the Partnership is on the ground making the healthy choice the easy choice as illustrated by the following select achievements.
- Comprehensive smoke-free policies in Bessemer, Birmingham, Clay, Midfield, Fultondale, Vestavia Hills and Homewood, covering more than 325,000 people
- 41 miles of street-based and greenway trails in the Red Rock Ridge and Valley & Trail System master plan (a countywide plan for bike and pedestrian pathways) completed or fully funded
- 60% increase in fresh fruit and vegetable purchases by SNAP (food stamp) recipients through a ‘Double Bucks’ incentive pilot at East Lake Farmers Market (194% increase with Double Bucks coupons)
- Healthy food distribution system and healthy vending program for afterschool programs has been instituted at all 11 branches of the YMCA of Greater Birmingham, with plans to expand model to other afterschool and child care providers
- Nutrition education, wellness policy workshops, and new equipment to support physical activity and nutrition for schools, reaching more than 100,000 students across 12 school systems in Jefferson County
How can I join?
The Partnership welcomes as potential partners any agency, organization or group with a stake in the health of the community, including governmental, private non-profit, business, faith-based and community-based organizations. If you would like to learn how to get involved, send an e-mail to
here or contact Kadie Peters at
(205) 458-2168.
Partnership Resources
Check out the Health Action Partnership website for more news on the Partnership’s activities and upcoming meetings.