# Utilizing a steering committee to implement Health in All Policies in a rural, micro-urban community

## TL;DR

A steering committee helped implement health-focused policies in a rural community by engaging multiple sectors and improving understanding of health determinants.

## Contribution

A rural-specific Health in All Policies approach using a multi-sector steering committee was successfully implemented and evaluated.

## Key findings

- A locally relevant project name and customized curriculum were developed and delivered.
- Steering committee members reported increased understanding of social determinants of health and trust in collaborative leadership.
- The HiAP approach was found beneficial for rural and micro-urban communities.

## Abstract

A multi-sector coalition in southwest Montana was established to bring a Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach to a rural and micro-urban community in southwest Montana. This project recruited local steering committee members from public health, government, transportation, social services, development, preservation, and education and organized them into work groups to design and implement rural-specific HiAP activities in their community. Workgroups were focused on ensuring community relevance and buy-in, developing and delivering curriculum, and data and evaluation. The steering committee met regularly during the project period; outcomes included a locally relevant project name and developing and delivering customized curriculum to multiple audiences. Post-implementation interviews were conducted with HiAP steering committee members (n = 7). Steering committee members report that participation in the HiAP project helped them better to understand social determinants of health, they believed in the mission of the steering committee, and they trusted the leadership of this collaborative work. A specific HiAP approach led by a multi-sector steering committee may be beneficial in helping to integrate HiAP in rural and micro-urban communities.