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

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.

My Healthy Vermont

My Healthy Vermont offers free workshops to help you prevent or manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and chronic pain.

Local Highlights

We supported Brandon and Poultney to incorporate specific language into their town plans that considered recreational opportunities, access to healthy and local foods and pedestrian bicyclist safety.

The town of West Rutland is collaborating with Rutland Town on a Smart Growth Plan to incorporate Complete Streets planning into a redesign of Business Route 4A. Read the Smart Growth Plan.

Come Alive Outside and ParkRx
Our staff serve on advisory boards for the nonprofit organization Come Alive Outside which sponsors several programs for all ages to support people in living healthier lives outside. Signature programs include Park Rx, 100 Miles in 100 Days walking challenges and Passports.

Clarendon Community Complex and Walking Path
We helped the Clarendon Elementary School with grant writing and program planning for a new walking trail to give all community member a safe, familiar and accessible area to be physically active.

Local Recreational Resources

Pine Hill Park, Rutland City
The Pittsford Trail Network
The Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail connecting Poultney and Castleton
Find more walking and hiking trails in our area on Trail Finder
Slate Valley Trails, Poultney

Safe Routes to Schools

Walking and biking to school helps students develop independence, improves academic performance, reduces traffic congestion and air pollution and creates a stronger community. The Safe Routes to Schools program provides guidance and encouragement on how to engineer, implement and evaluate programs that make it safer, easier, and more fun for students and their families to walk and bike to school.

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.

3-4-50