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Community health improvement plan identifies needs, forms partnerships
Delaware County Health Department hosted 28 partner organizations and over 50 attendees at its Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Kick-Off event this month at the Keystone First Wellness and Opportunity Center in Chester. The enthusiasm and collaboration at this event visibly demonstrated the commitment of community partners, health advocates, and Delaware County Health Department (DCHD) staff to build a shared vision and plan for a healthier Delaware County.
Through DCHD’s Community Health Assessment, the department identified three priority areas:
Goal 1 is to promote whole person care and prevent mental health disorders and substance abuse. Mental health and substance use disorders emerged as major concerns, especially issues like access to mental health care, marijuana, and vape use among youth, and substance use-related deaths.
Goal 2 is to prevent maternal, paternal and infant health. Too many babies of color in our county are born without prenatal care, prematurely, and with low birth weight, which is why maternal and infant health resources are desperately needed.
Goal 3 is to prevent chronic diseases. Elevated death rates from stroke, rising rates of breast and uterine cancers, and barriers to breast cancer screening are all concerns in our county.
Two overarching themes emerged from the CHA that will guide the CHIP: Promote Health Equity and Improve Access to and Awareness of Health Care and Community Services.
"Thank you to our partners, community members, and DCHD staff for showing up today and showing up for public health in Delaware County!” said Delaware County Interim Health Director Lora Siegmann Werner. “Your passion and hard work in developing our Community Health Improvement Plan is an inspiration. This kickoff is just the beginning of what we can accomplish together.”
Beyond information-sharing, the event was a powerful networking opportunity. Community partners connected and shared their organization's initiatives and explored potential collaborations that could address complex health issues. In all, the CHIP Kick-Off brought together diverse partners in a shared mission for public health improvement.
DCHD continues to welcome collaborations with any partners having an interest in these priority areas. For more information about the Community Health Assessment or Community Health Improvement Plan, please visit delocpa.gov/cha. To find out more about DCHD and its services or reach any DCHD staff members, please call the Delaware County Wellness Line at (484) 276-2100 or send an email to [email protected].
