GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – The ‘CHIP’ takes a dip in health priorities.
The Mesa County Board of Public Health recently approved the Community Health Improvement Plan. CHIP is the second part of the Community Health Assessment and Improvement cycle.
The first step was the Community Health Needs Assessment. During this phase, Mesa County Public Health collaborated with non-profits and local hospitals to assess what could be improved. During the assessment period there was a lot of community outreach to see what locals find important.
“We want our community to get involved,” Alice Ireland, the Data and Informatics Manager for Mesa County Public Health, said. “We want to be able to respond to that, and that’s our job as public health workers and a public health [department]. We’re here to serve the citizens of Mesa County.”
Eight priorities were identified. The priory list was listed as:
- Many households in Mesa County struggle to reach economic stability
- Housing insecurity significantly burdens Mesa County Residents
- Mesa County residents frequently use the emergency department for visits that could be completed with primary care doctors at lower costs and more effective whole health care
- Rates of suicide ideation attempt and death in Mesa County are worrisome
- Mesa County continues to be a childcare desert, but access is increasing
- Mesa County has a shortage of behavioral health providers
- Alcohol consumption is common among youth and adults, and plays a role in serious health outcomes
- Youth relationships with their families and peers are a primary risk or protective factors in substance use and mental health
These eight priorities were broken down into two specific and measurable strategic priorities: economic stability and behavioral health. Nearly 400 people contributed to the selection.
“The world is big. Our problems are big. So, if we have a document that’s really specific, we can have more specific measures to see if we’re doing something in that area,” Alli Howe, the Chief Health Strategist for Mesa County Public Health, said.
The final step of the health improvement cycle is to implement plans and track progress.
The MCPH Data Team is developing a public-facing dashboard. The community will see long-term population metrics, as well the progress of CHIP activities.
“Having a public-facing dashboard for our CHIP work will drive accountability into action,” Ireland said. “If this is what’s important to our community, we need to be transparent and share the data of what we’re working on.”
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