The CHA:
- Informs community decision-making;
- Prioritizes health problems; and
- Assists in the development and implementation of community health improvement plans.
A Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is an action-oriented plan that outlines the priority community health issues based on CHA findings. The community and partners work together to identify how issues will be addressed and how to measure progress. The long-term goal is to ultimately improve the community’s health. (Source: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO))
The process began in Summer 2011 and plans will be completed by December 2012. Dowload the Together We Thrive flyer (PDF).
Purpose
- Engage community members on health issues
- Understand health disparities in communities
- Differentiate needs in various communities
- Enable leaders to establish health priorities based on community needs
- Facilitate local public health system to focus on programs and services that address community's health needs
- Strengthen viability to successfully compete for funding opportunities
- Collaborate with partners and meet new partners
- Promote action planning to achieve healthy communities and health behaviors
Process
Utilizing the best practice model of Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships developed by NACCHO, we will follow a structured process to assess and prioritize needs, develop and implement improvement measures, evaluate plans, and continuously improve quality.
Social Determinants of Health
Why is it so important to discuss what affects health and how we can improve these factors?
Health begins where we live, learn, work and play. Health starts—long before illness—in our homes, schools, and jobs. Our opportunity for health starts long before we need medical care. All Americans should have the opportunity to make the choices that allow them to live a long, healthy life, regardless of their income, education or ethnic background. (Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
