Transforming Communities
In 2016 The LiveWell Springfield Coalition was awarded a Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) Grant from Trinity Health Systems. These funds, managed by Mercy Medical Center, supported advancing LiveWell Springfield's efforts to prevent obesity and chronic disease by addressing social determinants of health. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the grant was cut short, ending June 30, 2020.
The TCI partners coordinated their efforts to create policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change in the areas of:
- access to healthy foods and physical activity in the school environment,
- access to healthy foods and physical activity in the pre-K environment,
- reduction in youth access to tobacco products, and
- improving infrastructure to support safe walking and biking through the continued implementation of the Complete Streets policy.
Underpinning the work is an intentional focus on engaging residents and building their advocacy skills and opportunities — including establishing a Resident Advisory Council.
Partners
- Public Health Institute of Western MA (co-convener and local evaluator)
- Mercy Medical Center (co-convener)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services
- Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
- Springfield Food Policy Council
- Springfield Public Schools
- Square One
- Way Finders
Areas of Impact
Springfield was one of eight sites to receive TCI funding and technical assistance. The Georgia Health Policy Center served as the cross-site evaluator and the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts was the local evaluator.


The image above is an except from Georgia Health Policy Center's Site Profile.
Learn More
- Live Well Springfield Transforming Community Initiative Site Profile, Georgia Health Policy Center