PRC Launches Revision of Building Resilience Against Climate Effects Framework
The PRC at UMass Chan is pleased to introduce the revision of the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework. The BRACE framework was developed by the Climate and Health Program (CHP) in the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health departments (local, state, and other jurisdictions such as tribes) and their partners use the five-step process to plan for climate change adaptation. The BRACE revision is funded through the Special Interest Project mechanism of the CDC’s Prevention Research Centers program. Stephenie C. Lemon, PhD and Karin Valentine Goins are leading our PRC’s effort for this work. It is led by a multidisciplinary partnership including:
- Climate and Health Program (CHP) CDC
- Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan
- American Public Health Association
- Climate Equity Policy Center
- Health Resources in Action
- Public Health Institute
- University of New Hampshire
- George Washington University.
In 2022 the Climate and Health Program decided to revise the framework to meet three goals:
- reflect updates in climate science and add mitigation
- better meet the needs of diverse communities by integrating justice, equity, diversity and inclusion principles
- create tools to support BRACE implementation by health departments with varying resources.
The two-year revision process includes engagement of an Expert Panel. Represented on the Panel are:
- health departments with CDC’s Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI) funding
- departments without CRSCI funding who have active climate and health programs
- frontline climate justice organizations
- climate and health experts
- experts on the Climate Change and Health Playbook: Adaptation Planning for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion created by the American Public Health Association
- federal agencies with climate and health portfolio
Project outcomes will be the revised framework and a suite of technical guidance and capacity-building materials and tools for public health practitioners to plan and implement climate and health adaptation and mitigation interventions. Stay tuned!
