Transforming Communities Initiative

The Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) was a multimillion dollar, four-year population health effort funded by Trinity Health to address policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change and promote healthy behaviors.

Trinity Health closed its national TCI program in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the long-term effort has made a lasting impact on Trenton Health Team and our community. See final report

By providing the resources needed — substantial funding over multiple years — TCI enabled THT to shift from addressing “downstream issues” such as emergency department utilization to focusing on “upstream” policy and process change.

Partnerships developed through TCI with community partners will continue as we continue to address the social, economic and health challenges  affecting well-being in our city.

Our TCI project was directed by Elena Cromeyer, MPH, who is now pursuing a Doctor of Public Health in Leadership, Practice and Research degree at Rutgers University. Working with our community partners, THT and TCI  accomplished real change in Trenton, including:

• A financial committment from Trinity Health’s that was critical in securing a Low Income Housing Tax Credit needed for RPM to develop 72 affordable and sustainable housing units in Trenton
• Trenton’s Tobacco 21 ordinance, which contributed to enactment of Tobacco 21 legislation at the state level in 2017 and a 2019 city ordinance restricting sales of electronic cigarettes and imposing licensing fee for sales to help finance health services in the city
• Wellness policies focused on nutrition and physical activity throughout the Trenton Public Schools district, along with playground upgrades and review of meal nutrition at city preschools
• Clean-up and revitalization of a 5K running trail in the city’s Cadwalader Park, and murals reflecting the neighborhood’s ethnic heritage in Roberto Clemente Park
• Brunswick Avenue corridor tactical urbanism project to improve pedestrian safety leading to similar projects throughout the city and an Open Street pilot project near George Page Park
• Installation of a breastfeeding suite (Mamava) in Trenton Free Public Library
• Billboards in English and Spanish throughout city neighborhoods sharing CDC guidelines on COVID-19 safety
• Produce box distribution at three Trenton Housing Authority senior developments and free pop-up emergency farm markets in downtown Trenton

“I am proud of what we accomplished,” Elena said “TCI allowed us to examine the macro factors that ultimately influence health outcomes at the community and population level.”