The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department wants health to be a factor in community decisions.

A workshop offered Wednesday by the health department gave community policymakers tools to use when making decisions so health considerations are part of the process.

Dan Partridge, executive director of the health department, said every decision community leaders make has an impact on health, and that was part of the workshop’s message.

“We all get in ruts, and we see things in our lens of, say, transportation or public safety, or whatever our professional role is,” Partridge explained. “(This workshop) was a way to try to reframe things through a lens we could all share, rather than our unique lens.”

The free workshop, which ran from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the City Commission room at Lawrence City Hall, had sessions that introduced the concept of “Health in All Policies” and applied the concept to planning and community decision-making. Attendees could then practice strategies during a breakout session connecting health and safe routes to school.

After the safe routes to school session, Partridge said he had new insights on the challenge of getting to school and how it affects health and learning.

“Even principals have to worry about transportation,” he said.

Two presenters led the sessions: Steve White, project manager at the Oregon Public Health Institute; and Tatiana Lin, senior analyst and strategy team leader at the Kansas Health Institute.

Marilyn Hull, program officer with the Douglas County Community Foundation, attended the morning sessions and said they extended what she knew about health and community planning.

“There are just so many issues that you don’t realize have anything to do with health,” Hull said, “and then when you start to have a conversation about it you realize they do have a relationship, and if you can think about it ahead of time, you can factor health into your decisions.”

Hull honed in on one graphic that was presented, saying it really stuck out to her: It said only 5 percent of a person’s health is affected by his or her access to health care. Genes, environment and lifestyle make up the other 95 percent.

“We’re not talking about the hospital and the doctor’s office,” Hull said. “We’re talking about the places where people live, work and play, and how to set those places up so it’s easier for people to be healthy.”