What is a Health Opportunity Zone?
A Health Opportunity Zone (HOZ) is a place-based strategy led by The Center for Health Equity & Wellbeing (CHEW-NJPHI) that works with communities to:
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Identify Local
Health Identities -
Align Partners
and Funding -
Implement Evidence-
Informed Solutions -
Track Measurable
Progress
Why Health Opportunity Zones
Health is shaped by more than just healthcare.
Where we live, work, learn, worship, and age influences our access to:
Health is shaped by more than healthcare. The conditions in which we live, work, learn, worship, and age influence our access to safe housing, good jobs, reliable transportation, clean air and water, quality education, preventive care, and a meaningful civic voice. HOZs recognize these realities and take a comprehensive, place-based approach to improving health and well-being.
HOZs support communities in identifying what’s already working, what’s missing, what needs to change, and where investments can have the greatest impact. By bringing together residents, partners, and resources, this approach helps ensure that solutions are grounded in lived experience and designed for lasting change. Our goal is simple: make it easier for every community to thrive.
Current & Emerging
HOZ Locations
CHEW-NJPHI is committed to advancing Health Opportunity Zone efforts.
Each HOZ is unique, shaped by the strengths, priorities, and voices of the community.
We begin by listening.
Atlantic City
Altantic County
Asbury Park
Monmouth County
Orange City Township
Essex County
How a Health Opportunity Zone Works
Health Opportunity Zones follow a collaborative, step-by-step approach grounded in community partnership and data-driven action.
We begin by listening, convening residents, community organizations, faith leaders, local government, and healthcare partners to understand local priorities, uncover gaps, and define what health truly looks like in the community. We then work to understand the data by analyzing health outcomes and health-related social needs, identifying disparities and opportunity gaps, and sharing findings in clear, accessible ways. From there, we align and invest by coordinating funding streams, reducing duplication, strengthening existing community assets, and targeting priority areas for investment. Finally, we act and measure by implementing evidence-informed interventions, tracking progress over time, and continuously refining strategies in response to community feedback.
What Makes HOZ Different?
HOZs help move from isolated projects to coordinated impact.
Health Opportunity Zones are designed to be community-informed rather than top-down, ensuring that solutions are shaped by residents' voices and lived experiences. They take a cross-sector approach, bringing together partners across systems rather than operating in silos, and rely on data to guide decisions rather than on anecdotal evidence. HOZs are built for long-term impact, not short-term pilots, with a focus on advancing systems-level change rather than isolated programs. In doing so, they help communities move from fragmented efforts to coordinated, meaningful impact.
How We Define Success
Measuring both community experience and system change.
We define success by measuring both community experience and meaningful systems change. This includes improved access to preventive services, increased civic participation, and stronger, more aligned local partnerships. We also look for measurable reductions in health disparities and a growing sense of trust in public health. Together, these indicators reflect not only better outcomes but also a more responsive, connected, and equitable system that supports communities in thriving.
Partner with Us
Health Opportunity Zones are built through collaboration, bringing together partners across sectors to create lasting change. We welcome engagement from municipal and county leaders to help align policy and infrastructure, as well as community- and faith-based organizations to co-create solutions grounded in lived experience. We also partner with funders, philanthropy, and corporations to invest in meaningful systems change, alongside healthcare systems and academic institutions that contribute expertise and innovation. If you are interested in learning more about the HOZ approach or exploring how to bring it to your community, we invite you to connect with us.
Get Involved
Your voice matters. We want to hear what we don’t know and learn from what you want to see in your community. We believe that communities are the experts in their own lived experiences, and your insights are essential to shaping solutions that truly work. By sharing your perspective, you help inform decisions, guide investments, and shape the future of public health in your neighborhood.