Active and Healthy Communities | Vermont Department of Health

When the place where we live makes it easy for everyone to exercise and eat well, fewer people will suffer from injury, cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart and lung disease. Our goal is to help shape our communities to support health and well-being. To do this we:

promote safe, pleasant and accessible places for all people to walk, roll or bicycle
promote use of public transit
ensure access to healthy and affordable food
ensure safe, quality housing

Bellows Falls trail sign

We work with community organizations, municipal and regional planners, schools and health care providers. We begin with conversations to learn what is important to our community. From there, we find ways to weave in health and wellness improvements that fit the priorities of our towns, such as economic development. All Vermonters will thrive when our living conditions help to eliminate differences in health for different groups of people.

Use the Public Health Data Explorer to learn about health and wellness where you live.

How We Can Help

There are many ways that the Springfield office can help shape a healthier community. We can:

share examples of language that promotes health with cities and towns in order to strengthen regional plans.
provide a Safe Routes to Schools Regional Expert to provide support to schools.
provide public health data and information to inform planning.
provide education about why sidewalks and healthy foods options in local markets are important.
connect you with useful resources and provide examples of similar work done in other communities to help you on your way.
look for funds to help town officials and organizations support health-promoting efforts.

Local Highlights

We support towns by sharing assessment tools, sample language and resources that encourage town and regional planning for safe, walkable communities, access to services and nutritious, affordable foods, alternate transportation and healthier lifestyle options. Examples include assistance with writing town plans, implementing smoking bans, improving signage for crosswalks, connecting paths and trails to roadways and advocating for smoke-free bus stops or routes to improve access to services for people with transportation challenges. An example from the Consortium for a Sustainable East Central Vermont can be found here

Healthy Workplaces = Healthy Communities

We offer support and resources to worksites throughout the region. Get started on your organization’s worksite wellness program or get help with updating an already existing one. Come to a Springfield Area Worksite Wellness Group meeting to network with other employers and participate in workshops and presentations.

Tobacco Prevention

We work with local coalitions, schools and groups that serve youth to provide education on the harmful effects of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems, promote quitting resources and encourage smoke-free public events. Smoking rates in Vermont are declining, but they remain higher in some groups. Learn more about how we provide services and supports to those with the highest rates of smoking and tobacco use. See information on locally funded coalitions .

Resources for quitting are available through 802Quits and by calling 800-QUIT-NOW.

CounterBalance is a campaign directed towards the tobacco industry's influence on youth and the damaging impact tobacco use has on community health.

Tobacco Use in Vermont
Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs – Vermont Community Profiles

3-4-50 Prevent Chronic Disease

What does 3-4-50 mean?

3 behaviors – lack of physical activity, poor diet, and tobacco use – lead to 4 chronic diseases – cancer, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and lung disease – that are the cause of more than 50 percent of all deaths in Vermont.

This understanding inspires us to take action. Communities that are built to support physical activity, safe walking and biking, use of public transportation, and easy access to fresh foods are essential for good health.

See how Vermont Cities & Towns support health