The last two years have highlighted the importance of access to outdoor open space. In FY22, the City launched the Our Parks, Our Plan process to develop an action plan for the City’s open space network, applying an equity lens to criteria that include park access and climate resilience.

In FY22, the Community Development Department (CDD) established a Community Engagement Advisory Group for staff to share best practices and reflect on strategies to make engagement more inclusive and equitable. This Group developed a handbook on inclusive and equitable engagement best practices which will be published in September 2022. The handbook, which uses an anti-racism and equity lens to approach planning, implementation, and reflection of community engagement strategies, will be used to increase participation in public processes and programs.

Preschool, Childcare, and Afterschool programs, a part of the Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP), returned to in-person care and child-centered programming in September 2021.

Improving public health in Cambridge is a citywide effort involving many City departments and community partners. The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD), a nationally accredited health department, spearheads the City’s public health approach and programming.