Transportation Safety in Boise, Idaho: Reaching Vision Zero

Transportation System Safety is a Public Health Issue Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. Its proactive, preventative approach prioritizes traffic safety as a public health issue in order to prevent traffic injuries and fatalities. However, crashes are often perceived as isolated incidents caused by human errors, rather than being viewed collectively. Examining the dynamics related to crash fatalities and severe injuries through a systems approach can enable identification of overarching safety issues and lead City of Boise to address systemic faults that result in negative outcomes

Rural Industry Clusters Needs Assessment: Student Survey Summary

As part of an effort to inform future academic programming, Idaho Policy Institute (IPI) worked with Boise State University’s Offices of the Provost and the President to develop actionable insight into the emerging needs and gaps in the dairy industry in the Magic Valley and the technology, cybersecurity, and energy cluster in Eastern Idaho. In the first phase of the project, IPI surveyed high school students in each region in the spring of 2021. A total of 918 students were surveyed, 750 (82.1%) from the Magic Valley (MV) and 168 (17.9%) from Eastern Idaho (EI). Surveys asked students about their plans after high school, including if they plan to attend university, where they hope to attend university, and what they plan on studying. The following summarizes their responses

Transfer of Development Rights Programs 2022

This study explores Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) programs across the United State and their implementation, investigating TDR programming and ordinance development. Some of the key findings from this research include that TDR programs can be effective at preserving agricultural lands as part of a larger toolbox of planning and zoning measures. Broad criteria for successful TDRs include setting specific, clear preservation goals and understanding local real estate markets. Effective TDR incentives include a mix of market-based and regulatory approaches. Intergovernmental TDR agreements are a potential tool to enhance regional collaboration on preservation efforts and are not expressly prohibited by Idaho Code

Community Health Needs Assessment Magic Valley Region 2023

This Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) aims to identify the health needs of Jerome and Twin Falls Counties in the Magic Valley region of Idaho through a Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) framework, which defines health in the broadest sense and recognizes numerous factors— from employment to housing to access to health care—that have an impact on the community’s health. This report is specifically focused on Twin Falls and Jerome counties

Community Health Needs Assessment Malheur County 2023

The 2023 Malheur County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) aims to identify the health needs of Malheur County, Oregon through a social influencer, or determinant, of health (SIoH) framework. This framework defines health in the broadest sense and recognizes SIoH factors such as employment, housing, and access to health care have an impact on the community’s health

Engaging Idaho Out-of-School Youth

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides funds to create opportunities for youth ages 16-24 who are not working or in educational programs, otherwise known as out-of-school youth (OSY). Participation in WIOA programs can be low because of difficulties engaging OSY. The Idaho Workforce Development Council (WDC) partnered with Idaho Policy Institute (IPI) to identify creative and proven strategies to engage OSY. To do this, IPI reviewed existing literature and worked with regional representatives from the Idaho Department of Labor (IDOL) and educational institutions across the state to conduct focus groups and phone interviews with OSY recently engaged in WIOA programs. The literature review found that successful programs help youth build relationships with supportive adults such as mentors or caseworkers, and other youth to foster a sense of belonging and community. Similarly, literature shows that OSY respond well to direct outreach from other youth or efforts designed by youth. Successful programs also offer unique education opportunities and partner with community organizations to recruit youth and create work experience opportunities. Findings from interviews and focus groups align with themes found in the literature. Specific interview findings are listed below: Learning opportunities should accommodate learning disabilities and mental health Youth desire to learn job application, interview, and networking skills Programs should have more community relationships to connect participants with work experiences closer to their desired area of interest Youth appreciate caseworkers and would like a stronger relationship with them Interviewees mostly heard about the program from family and friends Youth recommend recruiting through social media with updated materials using empowering language and success stories Satisfactory employment and financial stability are main motivators for participation Youth value educational opportunities and the associated financial assistanc

Community Health Needs Assessment Baker County 2023

The 2023 Baker County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) aims to identify the health needs of Baker County, Oregon through a social influencer, or determinant, of health (SIoH) framework. This framework defines health in the broadest sense and recognizes SIoH factors such as employment, housing, and access to health care have an impact on the community’s health

Community Health Needs Assessment Wood River Valley Region 2023

This Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) aims to identify the health needs of various populations in Blaine County, Idaho through a Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) framework, which defines health in the broadest sense and recognizes numerous factors—from employment to housing to access to health care—that have an impact on the community’s health

Community Health Needs Assessment, Treasure Valley 2023

The 2023 Greater Treasure Valley Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) represents an unprecedented partnership to align several independent regional assessments to identify the health needs of more than half of Idaho residents. This collaborative approach utilized a social determinants of health (SDoH), also known as social influencers, framework to determine the top priorities of ten counties in the Greater Treasure Valley region of Idaho. This framework defines health in the broadest sense and recognizes SDoH factors such as employment, housing, and access to health care have an impact on the community’s health. In this report, the Greater Treasure Valley Region includes Ada, Elmore, Boise, Valley, Gem, Adams, Canyon, Washington, Payette, and Owyhee Counties