The physical, mental, and social health of residents shapes a community’s ability to adapt, respond, and recover from disruptions. Access to care, strong social connections, and healthy surroundings strengthen resilience across every other area.
Health is built not only in clinics and hospitals, but in daily life—through safe housing, reliable transportation, clean air and water, steady employment, and supportive relationships. When these conditions are strong, communities are better able to withstand both sudden disruptions and long-term challenges. When they are weak, stress builds, opportunities diminish, and health risks increase.
We work with communities to understand what supports well-being and what gets in the way. That includes assessing how air quality affects vulnerable residents, how stress builds after disruptive events, and how to improve access to care and resources—especially in rural and remote places. Partnering with Boise State faculty and students, we turn these insights into practical strategies that keep people connected, healthy, and ready for whatever lies ahead.
Example Projects
- City of Hailey Climate Resilience and Vulnerability Assessment
- Air Quality and Elder Care
- The Idaho Resilience Tool
HCRI Pillars
Built Environment Natural Environment Economy & Society
The HCRI research pillars capture the interconnection between and amongst disciplines, highlighting the dynamic and multifaceted nature of community resilience. Our goal in promoting these pillars is the foster connections and collaborations between disciplines and across sectors.
Natural Environment
The health of our plance, natural resources natural hazards, risk, risk education, and climate change.
Economy and Society
Economic and social conditions that (1) allow communities to prepare for, respond to and recover form adverse natural events and economic shocks, and (2) foster thriving, healthy communities.
Built Environment
Reliability and strength of critical infrastructure (communications, power grid, buildings built to hazard code), and systems faciliators or inhibitors to improve or build stronger infrastructure (e.g., capital, policy).
Health and Well-being
Environmental and social conditions that foster healthy thriving communities.