The New Orleans Department of Health and Human Services kicked off the first of five community health meetings on Tuesday, part of an effort to collect data and public feedback to shape a new health improvement plan under the administration of Mayor Helena Moreno.
The meeting, held at Gernon Brown Recreation Center, is part of an 18-month process to understand the city’s health needs. It is the third time the agency, which until recently was known as the New Orleans Health Department, has undertaken the planning process, which typically occurs every five years.
“We really need your voice,” said Flint Mitchell, deputy director for community engagement. “Your voice will help us determine what we want to prioritize in this round of the community health improvement process.”
Better food, safer parks
About a dozen residents sat in folding chairs in the community center, responding to live polling prompts on their phones about what changes would make their neighborhoods healthier places to live.
The results, displayed on a projected screen in real time, showed that healthier food that is easier to get and repairs to public spaces like parks and playgrounds are top priorities for the group. Other common responses included safe sidewalks and trails, sex education in schools, more nutrition education, health care that is easier to access and safer shopping districts.
Latonya Mason, 40, wanted broader access to fruits and vegetables, including for people who don’t quite meet the cutoff for state and federal programs that provide extra incentives for purchases at farmer’s markets.
“I know folks who don’t have low income, but they cant afford to get to those types of places,” Mason said.
She also wants regular neighborhood cleanups, saying that litter affects physical and mental health.
Another resident who lives near the Fair Grounds said the city has invested a lot in bike lanes, but they are not always maintained.
Attendees also described positive impacts to their health. They cited the city’s culture of helping neighbors, walking paths, vaccine programs, free fitness classes and initiatives to plant more trees.
In a final poll, attendees ranked what the thought were the most significant factors affecting public health. Top choices included pressures related to rent, tourism shifts, job loss and short-term rentals, aging water infrastructure and climate threats.
What’s next
A second round of community meetings will be held over the summer, when the department will present what they’ve learned from the meetings before finalizing three to five priorities ahead of a report to be published later this year.
In the previous assessment, the department identified a lack of health care after giving birth as a priority. As a result, they developed the Family Connects program, which offers three in-home visits to moms and newborns after birth.
Residents are invited to attend any of the four remaining community health meetings over the next two weeks across the city’s council districts. District D will meet Thursday, March 5, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, 2100 Leon C. Simon Dr. District E will meet Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at New Orleans East Hospital, 5620 Read Blvd. District B’s meeting is Tuesday, March 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Rosenwald Recreation Center, 1120 S. Broad St., and District C will meet Thursday, March 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Treme Recreation Center, 900 N. Villere St.