To make the vision a reality, the Partnership is proceeding along the following tracks:

(1) Respond to key health issues identified in the 1996 community health assessment.
Current-goal: Initiatives to address the three targeted areas (teen pregnancy, pediatric asthma and youth tobacco use) are planned for 1997, beginning with a major collaboration with the Indianapolis Alliance for Health Promotion that targets youth tobacco use in Marion County.

Future-goal: Initiatives to address issues from original eighteen recommendations. Maintain an ongoing assessment of Marion County's health needs.

(2) Creating a Broad-Based Steering Committee to serve as the "board of directors" of the Building Healthier Neighborhoods Partnership.
The Steering Committee's responsibilities will include:
· Develop and maintain a shared vision for a healthy community among the stakeholders and community partners;
· Establish annual health improvement goals and initiatives
· Build partnerships and develop resources that support the initiatives;
· Eliminate fragmentation of existing resources;
· Assess outcomes annually and report to the community.

The 1998 Plan

(1) The renewed shared vision of Indianapolis being the healthiest community in America is reflected by the following belief statements
· Individual health is important and contributes to the health of the community.
· Everyone has a right to the best opportunity to be healthier.
· Coordination of services will produce better results.

(2) Focus will be placed within the following four areas:
· The Healthy Individual
· The Healthy Family
· The Healthy Neighborhood
· The Healthy Environment

In addition to the main four task forces, additional work will be done via a Systems group to serve as a mechanism for connecting these areas and to develop and follow indicators, outcomes and produce community report cards.

(3) Healthy Indy Partnership will promote the goal of a healthy Indianapolis by serving as the catalyst for change and inspire and mobilize the community
As a focal point for benchmarks, it will collect and disseminate information, define action plans, educate the community and community leaders, secure resources for partners and initiate, link and coordinate efforts to accomplish its goals.