Mental health impact assessment: Population mental health in Englewood, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a pilot mental health impact assessment (MHIA) undertaken by the Institute on Social Exclusion (ISE) at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. This pilot involved a multi-method approach that included literature reviews and direct engagement of community stakeholders. It resulted in a policy document that summarized the anticipated effects of a proposed amendment to Chicago's Vacant Buildings Ordinance on the collective mental health of people living in Englewood, a neighbourhood located on the city's southwest side. The Chicago City Council passed the proposed amendment in the summer of 2011.Working to advance health impact assessment (HIA) practice, the project aimed to assist Englewood residents by empowering them to participate in the systematic review of a proposed policy change that would impact their own community's mental health. Additionally, the pilot sought to ensure that any policy decision reflected an evidence-based understanding of its probable effects on the mental health of Englewood residents. Thus, these efforts were designed to narrow several health inequities as suggested by key indicators of community mental health. © 2012 Copyright IAIA.