Flint is one of four cities that’s getting its health put under the microscope.
Flint, Michigan, Kansas City, Kansas, Providence, Rhode Island and Waco, Texas were named pilot cities in the Municipal Health Data for American Cities Initiative last week.
Flint’s lead-tainted drinking water has been getting most of the attention lately. But Flint has other health problems, too.
David Eichenthal is the executive director of National Resource Network. He says they’ll use federal and state data to help Flint leaders get a better sense of the city’s health issues, from obesity to infant mortality.
Eichenthal says they’ll also look at social factors, the local food system, housing quality, public safety, educational support, workforce opportunities, and transportation systems.
“Really what we’re trying to do in this effort is provide local leaders in cities around the country with the sort of data and information that they don’t always have,” says Eichenthal.
The project is being backed by the Obama administration, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and New York University.
