Dayton, OH – The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) is excited to share the completion of the Built Environment Assessment, the second project of the PLAN4Health - Miami Valley Initiative. The Built Environment Assessment focuses on how planning impacts the health and well-being of our residents and examines the Region's current built environments for their ability to support active living. Access the Built Environment Assessment by following this link: https://arcg.is/1uvrXD.

MVRPC’s PLAN4Health – Miami Valley Initiative was launched in the spring of 2021 to explore how planning can impact health outcomes. The PLAN4Health - Miami Valley Initiative is a multi-year effort with a focus on projects and programs intended to:

• Promote and advocate for “Health in All Plans and Policies”
• Convene and engage partners to improve conditions that are known to be key determinants of health
• Advance planning efforts aimed at creating conditions for healthy people and communities

The Built Environment Assessment (https://arcg.is/1uvrXD) provides information and tells the story of the Miami Valley’s current conditions for active living using interactive maps and infographics. Analysis results on three (3) domains tied to active living are presented at the neighborhood level. Further, composite maps and findings from each domain and an Active Community Index composite map that covers all three (3) domains, are also presented to provide a comprehensive look at baseline information.

Planning shapes environments in which people live, work, and play, and these environments impact the health of our residents in a variety of ways. The baseline established from the Built Environment Assessment is intended to serve as a foundation to advance planning efforts aimed at creating environments that promote healthy behaviors, improve health outcomes, and achieve healthy people and communities.

Established in 1964, the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission promotes collaboration among communities, stakeholders, and residents to advance regional priorities. MVRPC is a forum and resource where the Board of Directors identifies priorities and develops public policy and collaborative strategies to improve quality of life throughout the Miami Valley Region.

MVRPC performs planning and research functions for our Region that ensure livable and equitable communities; clean air and water; robust roadway, transit, and active transportation options; and strategic community plans that chart the course for member communities and partners. MVRPC’s Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) involves Preble, Darke, and Shelby Counties. As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), MVRPC is responsible for transportation planning in Greene, Miami and Montgomery Counties and parts of northern Warren County. MVRPC's areawide water quality planning designation encompasses five (5) counties: Darke, Preble plus the three MPO counties.

For additional information regarding PLAN4Health - Miami Valley Initiative and the Built Environment Assessment, contact Martin Kim, MVRPC’s Director of Community and Regional Planning, at (937) 223-6323 or mkim@mvrpc.org.

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