General Operating Support

Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) convenes and supports people, organizations, and communities to collaborate on quality of life and public health issues.

HCCA’s goal is to reduce the chronic disease burden and leading causes of preventable disease and early death including many types of cancer, by implementing evidence-based primary prevention strategies. HCCA uses the Social Ecological Model, a framework which highlights dynamic interrelations among individuals, their social networks, and three spheres of environmental factors that contribute to health. Overall, HCCA focuses on policy and environmental changes shown to have greater impact on population behavior change.

Through strong partnerships, a small staff impacts a significant portion of the 70,000 people served in the local service area, a much broader reach than if HCCA focused resources solely on individual or social network change. HCCA works to reduce tobacco use and exposure, improve nutrition and access to physical activity as obesity prevention strategies, and reduce substance misuse and abuse. HCCA prioritizes populations experiencing health disparities: people with low-income including children, pregnant women, and New Mainers (immigrants and refugees); those with behavioral health disorders (substance use disorders and mental health conditions); and LGBTQ+ youth and young adults.