Evaluation of Environments for Health Framework

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Environments for Health, Five Years On…

Since its release in 2001, Victoria’s Environments for Health Municipal Public Heath Planning Framework, has represented a leading edge approach to supporting quality public health planning at the local government level.

In 2006 the Department of Human Services appointed an external evaluation team from Deakin and Melbourne Universities to assess the introduction of the Environments for Health framework to municipal public health planning and to make recommendations for its future direction.

The evaluation aimed to determine the extent to which Environments for Health and related implementation activities had:

• been incorporated by local governments in their policies and practices
• created greater opportunities for health gain, and
• been supported effectively by the Department of Human Services and other stakeholders

The evaluation project involved participation from a broad range of key stakeholders, including all local Councils within Victoria. Data collection covered four distinct stages - document analysis, key informant interviews, state-wide survey of practitioners, and council and stakeholder forums, all with opportunities for input to the evaluation.

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The Evaluation Report states that:

• The Environments for Health Municipal Public Health Planning Framework has had a major impact on local government health planning since its launch in 2001.
• The Framework has influenced the conceptualisation of health in local government, as demonstrated by the incorporation of its principles and guidelines in the large majority of MPHPs.
• The Environments for Health Framework has been well received by the local government sector and beyond.
• The Framework has been adopted by a range of other state government areas including Municipal Early Years Plans, Neighbourhood Renewal, and Emergency Management.
• This impressive result compares favourably with experience reported in other countries to date. Examples of similar programs in the US, UK and The Netherlands report limited progress in implementing local area health planning based on the social model of health at multiple sites state-wide.
• The implementation of the Environments for Health Framework has generated additional capacity in the sector and has been well supported by DHS and other programs, such as the Good Practice Program and Leading the Way.
• For such a modestly resourced program, the return has been significant.
• In its first five years, Environments for Health has raised awareness, allowed the trial of existing tools and resources, and generated considerable momentum for further change.
• Through consultation with, and input from, the local government sector and other stakeholders, this evaluation has identified the strengths and weaknesses of the Framework and supporting resources, the local and state-level barriers preventing further progress, and a series of practical and strategic recommendations.
• The evaluation itself has provided the opportunity for reflection and in so doing generated enthusiasm for a new edition of Environments for Health.

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Evaluation of the Environments for Health Framework (483kb, pdf)

Summary

A four page summary of the Evaluation of the Environments for Health Framework has been published. It provides an overview of the findings and outlines the department's response to the report's recommendations.

Summary - Evaluation of the Environments for Health Framework (233kb, pdf)

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