Project One Health JAX
JACKSONVILLE, FL
Jacksonville at a Glance
20% of youth
are diagnosed with anxiety or depression.
14% of youth
live below the poverty level in Duval County.
Neighborhood Safety
is one of the top drivers of youth mental health risk.
Source: Based on data collected and summarized by ThriveAtlas™
Nature as the Catalyst for Urban Health
Working with community leaders, researchers, and industry-leading partners, Project One Health JAX is investing in a framework to improve the health of children and the environment in the city’s urban core neighborhoods. Connecting residents to the nearby Emerald Trail–30 miles of planned trails, greenways and parks that encircle the urban core–is a key focus.
Lead Agencies
Brentwood Neighborhood
New Town Neighborhood
Springfield Neighborhood
Eastside Neighborhood
Built on Collaboration
Collaboration is the cornerstone of Project One Health JAX. Lead agencies meet regularly to share ideas and resources, and to learn from one another as they build innovative, tailored and sustainable youth initiatives. To inform their work, the agencies engage community members and regional partners from multiple sectors in order to design comprehensive solutions to the challenges in each neighborhood.
Exceptional Resources and Support
This work is facilitated and supported by Nature Everywhere Communities, a national initiative of Children & Nature Network, the National League of Cities and Kaboom! that is dedicated to advancing equitable access to nature everywhere children live, learn and play.
- National peer-learning network
- Technical assistance
- Capacity building support
- Nature equity mapping
- Evaluation tools
- Case-making research
- Case studies
- Planning and communication tools
Regional Leaders Help Drive Systemic Change
To support and scale the important work at the neighborhood level, the Project One Health JAX Advisory Council convenes regional leaders from multiple sectors to advocate for policy and systems change. The Advisory Council helps remove systemic barriers, informs and develops policies that support One Health, provides strategic guidance and advocacy support, and serves as a community champion for the well-being of children and adolescents through stronger connections to nature. Neighborhood initiatives inform the Council’s work, while its systemic changes reinforce and sustain local efforts, creating a self-sustaining cycle of positive change.
Neighborhood-to-Regional Collaboration
Advisory Council Members
-
Anne Coglianese
Chief Resilience Officer
City of Jacksonville -
Rachael Tutwiler Fortune
President
Jacksonville Public Education Fund -
Saralyn Grass, ED.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Kids Hope Alliance -
Daryl Joseph
Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services
City of Jacksonville -
Ann-Marie Knight, MHA, FACHE
Vice President of Community Engagement & Chief Diversity Officer
UF Health Jacksonville
-
Dawn Lockhart
Chief Executive Officer,
Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida -
Lynn Sherman, MHA, CCHL
Executive Director of Health Programs, Office of Mayor Donna Deegan
City of Jacksonville -
Stephanie Toelle, MS, CFLE
County Extension Director,
UF/IFAS ExtensionDuval County -
A. Quinton White, Jr., Ph.D.
Founding Executive Director of the Marine Science Research Institute and Professor Emeritus
Jacksonville University -
Dennis Whittle
President and Chief Executive Officer
Jacksonville Civic Council
The One Health Urban Zone
Project One Health JAX is piloting an innovative concept in Jacksonville’s urban core that will create a new paradigm – the One Health Urban Zone. This will be an area where every sector embraces the interconnected health of people and the planet.
Imagine neighborhoods that are designed to encourage outdoor play, and urban farms with organic, responsibly-grown produce readily available. Imagine schools integrating outdoor learning into daily lessons, and healthcare providers recommending time in green spaces as a standard approach to improving mental and physical health. This is ground zero for systemic change at a regional level.
Connecting residents to the nearby Emerald Trail–30 miles of planned trails, greenways and parks that encircle the urban core– is a key focus. Neighborhood initiatives create a ripple of impact that will expand to shift paradigms throughout the region.
Our Partners and Advisors
Tom Caron, Carry On Solutions, LLC | Laura Phelps, Story Lens PR | Sherry Magill, Consultant
Stay Connected
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