Monthly Archives: March 2020

PITTSBURGH, March 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services celebrating 80 Years of Making a Difference, has been selected by Port Authority of Allegheny County to assist the agency in developing a 25-year vision plan. The long-range transportation plan will provide a customer-focused, action-oriented strategy for major transit investments and sustainable funding through 2045.The project aims to create a plan for an improved transit system, which will attract more riders, enhance mobility for the County's residents and support community development and redevelopment initiatives throughout Allegheny County while promoting regional equity and sustainability.

"As a firm established and headquartered in Western Pennsylvania, Michael Baker has fostered a commitment to the region's economic growth and residents' quality of life for eight decades," said Beth Larkin, P.E., Senior Vice President and Moon Township Office Executive at Michael Baker International. "We have deep roots in this region and are committed to helping the Port Authority create a successful plan that puts people and communities first."

"The plan will set a high bar for a reliable, seamless and efficient transportation network, informed by diverse public input. We're excited to be working with great partners like E. Holdings, Campos, Drive Engineering and Infrastrategies, who bring energy and expertise into this project. Michael Baker is proud to share the Port Authority's goal of supporting diverse local businesses," added Justin Miller, AICP, Project Manager Planning, at Michael Baker International.

The 25-year vision plan will have a strong and intentional approach to reaching those in local communities who are under-resourced and under-served. A major component of the plan development is public outreach and stakeholder coordination and Michael Baker has proposed a creative approach to public and stakeholder outreach that is a balance between understanding the community's needs and interactively educating stakeholders on the benefits of transit-oriented communities. Additional tasks will include conducting a thorough review of existing systems and plans; completing a market/travel analysis; identifying and prioritizing new investment opportunities; recommending a financial plan and producing the final report and action plan. Once complete, the plan will recommend actions that will ultimately improve the rider experience for those who make up the more than 63 million rides annually in the region.

About Michael Baker InternationalMichael Baker International, celebrating 80 Years of Making a Difference, is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services, including design, planning, architectural, environmental, construction and program management.The company provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions to support U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. Michael Baker's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement to help solve challenges for clients and communities throughout the country. To learn more, visitwww.mbakerintl.com.

Contact:Julia Covelli julia.covelli@mbakerintl.com (866) 293-4609

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Michael Baker International Selected by Port Authority of Allegheny County to Develop 25-Year Vision Plan - Benzinga

By David Burton, University of Missouri Extension

SPRINGFIELD Neighboring and community leadership are topics that can positively change our communities in a way that is meaningful and lasting according to David Burton, county engagement and community development specialist, University of Missouri Extension.

A few weeks ago, I was asked to talk about neighboring to a group of young children, said Burton. I realized then that involving our children in random acts of kindness is a great family activity that teaches gratitude. It also sets an example in considering the needs of others.

Neighboring with your children can also show them the power of their actions in their neighborhood.

This is especially the case in a time when our busy lives can make these important relationships feel rushed and fragmented, said Burton. Even teaching your children about random acts of kindness can positively impact your community.

A random act of kindness is an unexpected but intentional action by someone with the purpose of spreading kindness and joy to someone else. A random act of kindness can be shared with someone you know or a complete stranger.

If we do neighboring with our children we need to focus on ideas that encourage children to start close to home, with simple acts of kindness to those in their own neighborhood, said Burton.

Burton offers a list of 15 items that he describes as his Child-proof Ways to Be a Good Neighbor for children.

Burton says the basic rule is this: be kind and treat people the way you would want to be treated.

None of this happens on its own. You have to make the time and take the initiative. It is all part of being a truly good neighbor to those living around you, said Burton.

Details on neighboring can be found on the MU Extension website at http://extension.missouri.edu(opens in new window) by searching for neighboring.

For more information, contact any of these MU Extension community development specialists working in southwest Missouri: Pam Duitsman in Christian County, (417) 581-3558; David Burton in Greene County, (417) 881-8909 or Maria E. Rodriguez-Alcal in Jasper County at (417) 358-2158.

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Teaching Our Children to Be Good Neighbors - Douglas County Herald

The global analytical report titled Wellness real estate software market has been recently published by Absolute Markets Insights to its expansive repository. The extensive study helps clients to make informed decisions in the businesses. The study also includes a comprehensive analysis of the Wellness real estate software market.The research report further also draws attention to historical records, existing market scenario and to future predictions of market growth. Primary and secondary research methodologies also form a distinctive part of the study and is used to examine the global Wellness real estate software market. The research further scrutinizes various business approaches which help in building the successful framework of the businesses. To understand the scope of Wellness real estate software market precisely it also uses effective data exploratory techniques such as qualitative and quantitative analysis.

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Rising consumer demand for wellness lifestyle real estate and communitiesin the recent past has aided the global wellness real estate software market in the recent past and is expected to continue the same trend over the forecast period. People are getting gradually aware about the impact of lifestyle and social factors on their well-being. Wellness real estate services are developing to enable healthier lives for individuals and communities. It comprises of various components, of which the primary types are wellness lifestyle estate and wellness communities. This industry is an evolving industry which identifies the potential to meet immense health challenges. Many activities like green and sustainable building movement, urbanism and intentional communities among others are being modified and executed in different ways into a novel and forthcoming wellness-focused real estate projects. Global wellness real-estate mainly includes investments, buildings, transactions, single family and multi-family housing. It also includes houses that are constructed beside destination spas, wellness retreats and hospitality projects.

The need for wellness industry has been increasing day by day. The rising need for wellness establishment leads to the increasing demand for the wellness real-estate software in the market. Decades back, wellness buildings were normal buildings to stay, isolated and included care takers. After the outbreak of technology, the demand for wellness-based technologies steeply rose, which paved way for wellness real-estate software market. A major factor that drives the market is the changing attitude of people towards wellness institutions. On earlier days, people considered wellness real estate building for treating people who were affected by mental illness. Nowadays, modern working environment resulted in creating huge work pressure among the employees which forced them to adopt the wellness mechanism. It boosts the demand for the wellness real-estate software in the market. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) claims that residential real estate will be a major trend that is drastically evolving throughout the wellness industry. Rising market share for tech companies in the real estate sector is creating a major revolution in the market. Even though technology has not completely consumed the wellness real estate sector, rising advancements in the technologies is driving the wellness real-estate software market. The market has also witnessed huge investments in real estate software. Its majorly due to the limited number of companies in the market which further attracts new investors due to the untapped potential within the market. Investment has followed in suit with over $2.2 billion in 97 modern wellness startups globally.

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In terms of revenue, global wellness real estate software market was valued at US$ 458.6 million in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ 835.5 million by 2027, growing at an estimated CAGR of 7% over the forecast period (2019 2027). The detailed research study provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of wellness real estate software market. The market has been analyzed from demand as well as supply side. The demand side analysis covers market revenue across regions and further across all the major countries. The supply side analysis covers the major market players and their regional and global presence and strategies. The geographical analysis done emphasizes majorly on the different geographical regions world wide

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Astonishing growth in Wellness real estate software market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7% over the forecast period (2019 2027) - Galus...

Phillip Shin. Photo courtesy of APACE.

The U.S. Census was first introduced after the American Revolutionary War in 1790, in order to count the population within the newly established United States. Conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau every 10 years, the census has an enormous impact on a number of different decisions made by the federal government, for example, how federal resources are distributed to each state is based off of the population counts from the census. Not only do the results of the census determine how much federal funding is distributed, it also determines how many representatives each state sends to the U.S. House of Representatives. Along with the number of U.S. House Representatives, all federal, state, and local district lines are also redrawn based off of the population counts by the census. The importance of making sure that every person, not only citizens, is counted cannot be said enough.

The U.S. Census has been seen as a nonpartisan issue, but our current administration has created an environment full of fear and hostility through an intentional underfunding of the Census Bureaus budget, along with an executive order that directed the Census Bureau to collect citizenship data. In addition to the fearmongering tactics that are currently present in the White House, the initial inclusion of a citizenship question (the Supreme Court has ruled the question as unconstitutional) has already led organizations to conclude that there will be an inevitable undercount of millions, mostly within undocumented and noncitizen populations. Without a full and accurate count, there will not be equitable governmental representation and distribution of resources, further widening the gap that exists between those with access to opportunity and those without.

Despite these setbacks, the efforts of some state and local governments have shown encouraging signs of progress, with a $15 million allocation recently approved by the Washington State Legislature to assist with an accurate count in the 2020 Census. The need for an accurate count was brought to the forefront by the Washington Census Alliance, a coalition of local and community-based organizations, that worked to advocate for funding to hard-to-count communities who would be overlooked by the 2020 Census. With the current funding that has been received so far from Washington State, thousands of households in hard-to-count communities will now join us in filling out the Census. The progress that has been made by our community leaders and activists from so many different communities has led to the beginning of a movement to make sure that every person in our communities is counted.

The 2020 U.S Census is used to determine how federal funds are distributed to our communities; how we are represented in government; how nonprofits serve our communities, and we need everybody to get involved. For the first time ever in the history of the U.S. Census, the government will be requesting that households respond to the Census online. In March 2020, every household will be receiving a notice card from the U.S. Census Bureau that contains instructions for completing the survey.

If you have questions about how to complete the 2020 Census, members of the APACE staff will be happy to help you through phone or email us at [emailprotected]. Our communities need to know why its important for all people to be counted, and it is our civic duty to make sure that our communities are all accounted for.

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It is our civic duty to make sure that our communities are all accounted for: Can we count you in for the 2020 Census? - The International Examiner

Brookhill Village is a developers dream.

The 36-acre parcel off South Tryon Street near Charlottes urban core is part of South End, a hot housing market with upscale retail, a booming housing market and on the light rail line. It also has low-income residents, run-down and shuttered homes and a complicated ownership structure that frustrated developers.

The latter, Brookhill Village advocates agree, saved the neighborhood built in 1950 from becoming another high-end enclave that displaces working-class neighbors. Developer Tom Hendrickson and neighborhood activist the Rev. Ray McKinnon are two of them.

In December, Hendrickson bought Brookhill Villages land lease for $792,000 with the intent of building New Brookhill, a mixed-income neighborhood. Hendrickson, who lives in Zebulon, closed on the leasehold rights in collaboration with community stakeholders that include South Tryon Community Development Corporation, which McKinnon leads.

The plan is considered daring for Charlotte: a near 50-50 split between below-market and market appropriate rents. Lookout Ventures Inc., owned by Hendrickson, will develop the property and a sister company, Brookhill Land Lease Ventures, is the leasehold tenant through 2049. Theres little time for a developer to recoup any investment before the land reverts to its owner, the family of original builder C.D. Spangler, which makes the project a gamble.

I think one of the saving graces, if you will, [is] the complicated nature of Brookhill, said McKinnon, senior pastor at South Tryon Community United Methodist Church and president of its community development corporation. It seems plausible that Brookhill Village would have been razed a long time ago, and those acres would look similar to what we have now, but for the complicated mixture. It was important and vital to get something done because currently the status quo is untenable either way, so those units are far past their life cycle. Capitalism has come into play here. Youve got units that are affordable because they were built to be affordable, but also theyve aged and so you can have rents that are averaging $475 because you don't bring them up to modern standards.

Affordability is what makes Brookhill Village attractive to its residents. Although crime plagued the community to the point where intervention by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and the federal prosecutors, the vast majority of its residents are law-abiding, hard-working people. About 150 units are occupied, nearly a third of the sites peak occupancy of 418 units when it was built.

That's what makes Brookhill so amazing, photographer Alvin C. Jacobs Jr., whose work in the neighborhood is the subject of an exhibit at the Harvey B. Gantt Center said in a 2019 interview. It's been in existence [since] 1951. Brookhill has been holding it down. It's been a historically black community since the 30s. We've been holding it down in that section of the city. But now, since a particular company owns the land and another particular company also buildings, theyre stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. You've got people who've been doing everything in their power for years to not just exist but live, to take care of their families, to educate themselves, to work.

For a city that has struggled to keep pace with housing for everyone but the well-heeled, New Brookhill is a test case of possibilities. The development is required to adhere to previous agreements with the U.S. Attorneys Office, which in 2016 began the process of seizing property due to alleged drug activity, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. The proposed project will meet the development guidelines of Local Initiatives Support Corporation guidelines, Freddie Macs Forward Permanent Loan Program and settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorneys Office.

I hope that over time, not only for Charlotte but across the country, we show how you can take an urban redevelopment project and bring it forward in a way thats sensitive to its history, Hendrickson said. Brookhill is unique, every place is unique, but there should be a way to be intentional about finding a way to redevelop a property without displacing the residents. And if you go about it intentionally, in most cases, I think you can find a way.

Architect and South End booster Terry Shook agrees.

I think it has the potential to be a good model for future affordable housing development, he said. It's unique in that there is a ground lease. You know that there's one owner of the land and one owner of the buildings on the land and that's what has created this unique situation and that's created this opportunity. In 2049, you know that the 99-year lease on the buildings will expire. I think the way in which this could be a model is if they do find a way to get the financing that they need to build it in this way could be an inspiring model for others who currently may believe it is impossible.

It takes creativityMcKinnon, who moved to Charlotte four years ago and works in the neighborhood, sees the recent developments as a major milestone after years false starts. Affordable housing, which is often seen as a government function, he said, can work with public and partnerships. The South Tryon CDC, for instance, works with Brookhill residents to articulate residents concerns as a liaison with the developer.

This is, I think, the third or fourth attempt since Ive been involved, he said. I think the thing that is so complicated [is] one, it's a land lease and not outright ownership. And you had the forfeiture lawsuit that was attached to the U.S. Attorneys Office. It's just hard in any deal to get 30% [average median income] units and to try to get as many as we feel are necessary. It takes creativity, I think, and persistence to try to make that work.

New Brookhill would include 324 multi-family apartments with three-story flats and two-story townhomes on 15.5 acres. Sixty-five units would be available at 30% of median income, 97 at 60%, two at 80%, and the remainder at market rates. The community, which will be built in phases to prevent resident displacement and relocation, would also include a community center, computer space, laundry facility, pool, pool house and recreation center.

We have to make sure that all the amenities are there to compete with those luxury apartment complexes that are right across the street, and we will be competitive, Hendrickson said. And the added benefit of that for the residents [currently] there in New Brookhill, is that they will go from some housing that you would not want to live in to having an apartment with market rate amenities in a community that at a market rate they could never afford. The amenities are there for everybody, so it should be a really significant step forward in their quality of life.

Past and perceptionsHendrickson is aware of Charlottes checkered history of relocating entire communities. Theres Brooklyn, the all-black neighborhood in Second Ward that was wiped away in the 1960s by urban renewal. Promises were made to residents that they could move back to the redeveloped community, but it never came to pass as government buildings, hotels and offices sprang up. Theres also gentrification in modern-day Historic West End, where escalating property values and a history of redlining where banks refused loans to black homeowners and entrepreneurs, pushed some African Americans out of neighborhoods. No one, he pledges, will be displaced from New Brookhill.

Brookhill is not Brooklyn, Hendrickson said. We have a specific plan we have the absolute capabilities of delivering on what we're promising.

Rebuilding the neighborhood will take money. Hendrickson says a $15 million funding gap needs to be filled before construction can start this year, he hopes with help from the public and philanthropic sectors. The goal is for current occupants to move into new homes in 2021. Demolition and construction will start with unoccupied buildings and proceed in phases. Residents in units to be demolished get priority to move into new housing for which they qualify.

Once those are in place and assuming between that and what others community leaders support we can get to get us to the gap funding then well be ready to shortly thereafter close on the transaction, so that we can pull down the construction loan and walk in the permanent financing and be moving very quickly, Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson, 63, sees Brookhill as a legacy project, not because of the money to be made, but to prove that a community of working- and upper-middle class neighbors can be built and maintained. Hes working against the perception of fast-talking developers eyeing a fast buck at the expense of keeping promises.

There's plenty of historical evidence where that stereotype is well founded in a lot of cases [but] in this case its not for several reasons, he said. Number one, I took this project on as a challenge and intellectually I said I think I can figure out something that can be that can generate a lot of good from a legacy project, and something no one else has been able to figure out.

I get a lot of satisfaction with that just in my heart and soul. I was born poor with a good name. I'll take my name with me and I won't be taking any money with me anyway, so I just want to make sure I do some good while I'm here on this earth, and doing the things that we would all want to do.

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New Brookhill measures development risks and reward - Charlotte Post

Westerville, which calls itself a City Within a Park, has been named to the inaugural class of Tree Cities of the World.

The Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations named Westerville to its first class of "Tree Cities of the World" in February.

"Westerville has been a Tree City USA for more than 40 years, which is an endorsement for how well our urban-forestry efforts have been managed," said David Collinsworth, Westerville city manager. "The Tree City of the World designation shows that commitment is recognized globally. This goes hand in hand with where Westerville sits right now as a Top7 Intelligent Community. The city is very intentional about its parks and green spaces, which revolves around maintaining a healthy tree canopy."

Collinsworth said the city is proud of the contribution that makes to the environment and is honored to be in the class of the best 27 cities in the United States that meet standards of excellence.

Based on the Arbor Foundation's Tree City USA designation, which Westerville has received for 44 years, the international recognition is given to communities that meet five core standards.

According to the organization's website. treecitiesof theworld.org, the standards include:

* Establishing responsibility: Have a written statement by city leaders delegating responsibility for the care of trees within the municipal boundary to a staff member, a city department, or a group of citizens.

* Setting the rules: Have an official policy that governs the management of forests and trees.

* Knowing what you have: Maintain an updated inventory or assessment of the local tree resource for long-term planning.

* Allocating the budget: Have a dedicated annual budget for the routine implementation of the tree management plan.

* Celebrating achievements: Hold at least one annual celebration of trees to raise awareness.

Tree City pride

Matthew Ulrey, Westerville's parks and urban-forest manager, said the recognition is a nice feather in the cap for his team.

Ulrey, who started working for the city as a tree trimmer for the Parks and Recreation Department in 2002, heads the Urban Forestry Division that is in charge of more than 20,000 trees, including street and park trees and those at city facilities, such as city hall and fire stations.

He said the city employs two full-time staff members who carry out the division's work.

"I handle the administration," Ulrey said. "We have another three certified arborist on staff in park maintenance."

When Tree City USA started in 1976, Ulrey said, it was something the community and department took pride in.

"When I saw this new level of achievement, I knew there was no way I couldn't submit an application," he said. "We've always been a leader in this field. It's a next step of remaining committed to our tree care and maintenance of tree canopy in Westerville."

He said the Tree City USA program has four criteria, whereas Tree Cities of World added a fifth -- inventory and analysis of data.

"It's another benchmark of professionalism," Ulrey said.

He said Dublin and Springfield are the other two Ohio cities that earned a place in the first class.

City Within a Park

Mike Heyeck, chairman of Westerville City Council, said in the early 2000s, city staff was holding a public session on visioning the South State Street Gateway Project, when he said instinctively, "City Within a Park," when he saw renderings.

"I was council chairman and was in attendance," he said.

He said the slogan caught on with then-parks director Jody Stowers.

"I made sure she knew I did not mean only the parks," Heyeck said. "When we discussed the vision for the words, I stated that Westerville is known for its parks and its Tree City USA status. City Within a Park suggested that we create our streetscapes to look as if we are within a park. If we do that, private businesses and homeowners will instinctively invest."

Heyeck said the South State Street Gateway Project proved that with private investment exceeding more than twice the cost of the project.

"Uses of City Within a Park in time included our connectivity to parks with nearly 50 miles of bikeways and pedestrian walkways that attracted not only our residents to our parks, but also our businesses for their employees and the attraction to healthy lifestyles," he said. "It was an economic development attraction for prospective businesses to see our vision for a City Within a Park."

Heyeck said Westerville has two gems with Uptown Westerville, and the five-time national award-winning park system.

"City Within a Park leverages our strengths to create holistic park-like settings with streetscapes, trees, trails ... connecting our neighborhoods, our commercial areas, and our parks as one fabric for residents and employees who work in Westerville -- a City Within a Park," Heyeck said.

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Westervilles trees stand tall among Tree Cities of the World - ThisWeek Community News

Walkable Streets. Inviting Public Spaces. Cars, Bikes and Pedestrians Sharing the Road. Trees and Curbside Plantings. Informational Signage. All help create a sense of placeand of a place that is safe and inviting. What can Berks County learn from other communities, many facing the same challenges that we face?

Leaders from the Urban Land Institute will lead a Community Forum exploring how some other communities have attempted to create a safe, inviting and vibrant urban core. Many Berks County Communities are working to create more walkable main streets, building on the assets throughout the county. How can we be even more intentional in these place making efforts.

The Urban Land Institute is an international organization working to advance leadership around place making and creating thriving communities. They have been instrumental in developing strategies for communities as diverse as Philadelphia , Easton, Harrisburg, West Chester, Columbia and Camp Hill.

The Berks Alliance was formed by a group of anchor institutions who are dedicated to using their resources, individually and collectively, to stimulate community development in our region.

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Building Healthy Places: What can we learn from other communities - bctv.org

Seong Kim. Photo courtesy of APACE.

The census is relevant to civic engagement and political data staffers because it makes our work more accurate. As a data staffer, I help civic engagement organizations and their community organizers build people power in their communities, which often have been historically marginalized by our government. I provide access to and training for tools utilizing the voterfile, which is a database of all registered voters. Different Secretary of State offices across the nation have different voterfiles, but any given voterfile typically contains a great deal of data on every registered voter at the most recent time when they registered to vote.

The voterfile is integral to work in political campaigns as well as civic engagement programs because most campaigns and programs aim to drive their own preferred voter turnout as much as possible by hosting door to door canvass, phonebanks, mailers, emails, and peer to peer texting in order to contact voters, and the voterfile typically includes the necessary information (e.g. addresses, post office boxes, phone numbers, etc.) to make such intentional voter outreach possible.

Despite the importance of the voterfile, there are huge gaps to consider. The voterfile that is publicly available from a states Secretary of State office only includes information on registered voters. This gap might be okay for a political campaign given their short-term nature, but not so for community-based organizations such as the Asian and Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Engagement (APACE). These organizations typically have a longer-term vision than winning a particular election that is a few months away. They aim to make room on the table for historically marginalized communities so that the government works in a way that is more inclusive, accessible, and representative.

If organizations like APACE are limited to only reaching out to registered voters, then their programs would be hampered in working toward that longer term vision. One way to break past this limitation might be to simply knock on every door, call every number, and send mail to every box, but they usually dont have staff that number in the double digits, so such a program would be either impossible or prohibitively expensive. That is where census data comes in to address the gaps of the voterfile.

The census is carried out every 10 years, and it is without a doubt the most comprehensive and inclusive survey done in the United States because it aims to survey every resident in the country. The United States Census Bureau carries out the census, and they are probably the entity closest to having the funding and resources necessary to do such a survey. Information from the census is anonymized, so no one finds information on any one particular person, but demographic information on geographies (etc. states, counties, cities, etc.) gained from the census, is posted on publicly available government sources.

The demographic information is very comprehensive; it includes data on race and ethnicity, which is indispensable to groups like APACE that aim to increase the people power of Asian and Pacific Islander communities. I and other data staffers use this data to inform civic engagement groups decision making, thereby helping their programs be more accurate and equitable than they otherwise would be. Using the race and ethnicity data from the census, groups like APACE can precisely know which areas are best their best fit for outreach. This informed approach to outreach minimizes the number of contact attempts to voters who dont identify with a historically marginalized group, so it also makes equitable, precise outreach physically and financially possible.

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The data from the census is invaluable to civic engagement focused nonprofit organizations working toward long term political change - The...

Editor's note: R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, is the president and CEO of Nemours Children's Health System based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Its the year 2020, and its a beautiful day in the neighborhoodfor some children. Despite our countrys efforts towards improving socioeconomic factors like unemployment, teen pregnancy and high school graduation rates, we can still predict a childs health, their future income, and even their life span, based solely on their zip code. According to the Child Opportunity Index 2.0, a new report from Brandeis University, 10 million American children live in low-opportunity neighborhoods, which puts them at a stark disadvantage to those in high-opportunity areas.

Researchers analyzed 72,000 neighborhoods across America, examining factors such as access to good schools, parks, and healthy food. In all metropolitan areas, they found at least a seven-year difference in life expectancy between residents in low- and high-opportunity neighborhoods.

In a new white paper I recently published, How Children Can Transform the Economy and Healthcare, I note the leverage for strategic investments in the well-being of children to impact not only their own lives, but strengthen the outlook and contributions of the next generation of future U.S. citizens.

Weve known for decades that social, economic, and environmental factors have a major impact on health, yet our healthcare system persists in spending the vast majority of its resources on medical treatmentstests, surgical procedures, medications, and so on. However, a substantial body of evidence suggests that medical care actually accounts for only about 15% of our health.

The remaining 85% is determined by the multiple underlying factors that shape our livesincluding education, food security, employment, freedom from violence, avoidance of childhood trauma, access to transportation, and much more. By transforming healthcare from a system that pays for volume and complexity of medical services to a system that pays for a more holistic view of health, we can deeply impact the health of children today, and the next generation of adults.

According to a recent Harris Poll commissioned by Nemours, nearly two-thirds of American parents of children under 18 report at least one economic, environmental, or lifestyle factor that limits their familys ability to lead a healthy life. Sixty-eight percent of parents encountered at least one of these factors in the past 12 months: Being unable to pay one or more of their bills (32%), skipping a doctor/dentist appointment because they couldnt afford to pay for visits, or find transportation (32%), worrying about running out of food (23%), worrying about their familys personal safety (17%), trouble finding work or affordable child care (17% each), or being unable to find a grocery store with healthy food options (10%).

Our survey shows how shockingly normal it is for families to struggle to meet basic needs that are crucial for childrens health. While we must remain committed to providing the highest quality acute medical care when needed, we must also recognize that families need so much morefrom high-quality education to nutritious food to policies and programs that lift the health of entire communities. To do this, we must work together. Effective partnerships will amplify and extend the reach of our work to maximize the benefits for our children.

Related: Nemours CEO Larry Moss: Let's Invest More in Kids' Health

Were seeing health systems across the country find ways to connect their patients to resources that go far beyond medical treatment. At Nemours, were doing this through intentional collaboration with our community partners in early childhood education, adult care, food pantries, and more. Nemours and other childrens hospitals are doing this because it is a way to get more from the care we provide, and because its also a very smart investment in the future economic health of our country.

For example, a recent study from Opportunity Insights, a research group at Harvard University, examined the return on investment of 133 past and present federal social policies. Not surprisingly, those policies that directly targeted young children had the highest value because they continued to pay dividends long after childhood.

If we, as a society, would collectively address the social factors that influence childrens health, we would permanently improve the health and the economy of our country by reducing the toll from chronic diseases, creating a healthier, more productive workforce.

As trusted authorities with substantial infrastructures, childrens hospitals are well-positioned to lead the way. Through partnerships with social service agencies, government, and commercial payers, we can greatly magnify the effectiveness of the medical care we deliver by also addressing the underlying social determinants of health for all.

Dr. R. Lawrence Mosswas a participant at the HealthLeaders CEO Exchange last fall. The CEO Exchange is one of the healthcare thought leadership and networking events that HealthLeaders holds annually. Our CEO Exchange is an invitation-only event that brings together top leaders from across the country to participate in small discussion groups, share best practices, and network freely. To inquire about attending a HealthLeaders Exchange, email us at exchange@healthleadersmedia.com.

Care to share your view?HealthLeaders accepts original thought leadership articles from healthcare industry leaders in active executive roles at provider and payer organizations. These may include case studies, research, and guest editorials. We neither accept payment nor offer compensation for contributed content. Send questions and submissions to Erika Randall, content manager,erandall@healthleadersmedia.com.

Photo credit: Nemours Children's Health System President and CEO R. Lawrence "Larry" Moss, MD, delivers a presentation during a HealthLeaders CEO Exchange gathering in Park City, Utah. (HealthLeaders/David Hartig)

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Millions of Families Are Struggling to Meet Children's Basic Health Needs. Here's What We Can Do. - HealthLeaders Media

Gravity is a feeling, says Atlanta-based multimedia artist Julie Nellenback Henry.

Creative people are restless, but gravity comes with maturity, she explains. My feet are now on the ground, and that feels good. The joy feels even better.

Joy and Gravity, an aptly named exhibition featuring Henrys signature collages, accentuates shared sentience by layering paint and found textiles sheets, aprons, pillowcases to create unabashedly imperfect art. I invite the viewer to feel the warmth, see how obviously handmade it is, and fall in love with imperfection, says Henry. The show opens at The Project House Gallery @ Curve Studios on Friday, March 13.

At just 240 square feet, The Project House Gallery is Ashevilles newest, most intimate exhibit space, and curator Marghe Means latest, most radical project. An art consultant in the corporate sphere, Means has spent the last 30 years curating art that works for conglomerates like Coca-Cola and Aflac. Now, she is curating art that works for her.

Ive met so many different artists over the years but havent had the opportunity to showcase their work. I want to bring them to communities where they havent had exposure, says Means.

To that end, The Project House Gallery will rotate regional artists bimonthly. Some are conceptual in style, others representational. Not necessarily every show is for everyone, Means admits. Nor are the shows meant to feel cohesive. Why and how people select artwork is a personal decision, and my personal art collection is eclectic, she says.

Rather, the space itself provides continuity. A little smaller than the average master bedroom, the gallery feels intentional but dramatic in its minimalism. Visitors give their undivided attention to one artist and will be provided with text that describes that artists point of view. Means envisions Henrys collages being especially powerful there the perfect showcase for what Henry calls a pared-down, visual language.

Her pieces are highly textured and dimensional. There are nuances you can only pick up in person, says Means, who rents studio space to Henry at Little Tree Art Studios in Atlanta. Charged with finding a rhythm for the next year at The Project House Gallery, she is reaching deep into her personal database of artists. She imagines Henry will serve as a counterpoint for everything to come.

She will bring an unconventional perspective to the River Arts District, Means says.

Henrys collage paintings of repurposed textiles are a relatively new development in her repertoire. Though she has always been a self-described dumpster diver forever inclined to rehab jettisoned materials the milestone of turning 50 gave her pause. And so, Henry reflected on her roots in the Adirondacks of New York, where her grandparents home was rife with midcentury modern furniture, her mothers renderings from design school at Rochester Institute of Technology and an overall tenor of creativity.

Henry then experienced a crystalline moment of self-awareness: Subconsciously, through observing her grandparents, she had always believed that if you made something with your hands, people would love and respect you. In creating, she was simply seeking love.

That sense of unapologetic humanity infuses her current work, as do the warm and modern sentiments of her grandparents home. The effect is subdued, quiet and poetic. Theres almost some raising of hope there, Henry says. A soulfulness, an honesty. Joy and gravity, if you will.

WHAT: Joy and GravityWHERE: The Project House Gallery @ Curve Studios, No. 3 River Arts Place, curvestudios.org/theprojecthouse and juliehenrystudio.comWHEN: Opening Friday, March 13, 5-8 p.m. with an artist talk on Saturday, March 14, 2 p.m. Exhibition remains on view through May 7

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The Project House Gallery brings 'Joy and Gravity' to the RAD - Mountain Xpress