This isn’t something you hear everyday, but two FABB Board members recently recommended to us as fellow bicycle advocates this county public access television program. It features Anna Ricklin in a discussion of the Health in All Policies program.
Anna is Fairfax County’s first Health in All Policies Manager. She describes herself as a passionate advocate for healthy communities. Working from the Health Department, she acts as a health ambassador across county agencies, promoting the integration of health objectives into county plans, policies, and building projects. She also oversees applied research and place-based initiatives to advance healthy planning practice with a focus on cross-sector collaboration.
The Health in All Policies approach reflects the growing interest in and need for collaborative approaches to improve community wellbeing. This involves actively embedding health considerations into decision-making processes across a wide range of public and private sectors. To address our greatest health challenges, such as chronic illness, health inequities, climate change, and spiraling health care costs, the Health in All Policies approach focuses on key social factors—transportation, education, access to healthy food, economic opportunities, etc.—and the breaking down of the “stovepipes” separating the work of government agencies.
In the interview, Anna talks about getting people out of their cars, safe routes to schools, access to parks, and the Embark Richmond Highway project. Needless to say, safe and accessible bike infrastructure is critical to active lifestyles to improve the county’s wellbeing. FABB supporters and anyone interested in getting involved in bicycle advocacy will benefit from the insights Anna shares.
Check it out!
