Community Health Assessment & Community Health Improvement Plan
The Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) framework has provided a way for Cobb2020 to systematically identify needed policy, systems, and environmental changes and develop community health improvement plans for the future. Additionally, the Collective Impact model is being used to guide how our community coalition implements the CHIP.
In 2022, Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) partnered with Georgia Health Policy Center, Cobb2020 – A Partnership for a Healthier Cobb County (Cobb2020), and Live Healthy Douglas to complete the 2021-2022 Cobb and Douglas Community Health Assessment (CHA). The CHA is a collection of data that provides a comprehensive picture of what is happening related to health in a community. Such an assessment is typically conducted every three to five years.
The Cobb and Douglas Community Health Improvement Plan III (2023-2027) outlines a 5-year action plan to improve the health of residents based on the needs identified in the CHA. Cobb2020 and Live Healthy Douglas developed county-specific goals and strategies to address the identified priority issues. The CHIP will be used to implement community-based changes to improve long-term health and wellness, monitor progress toward goals, and establish new goals in the future. The success of the plan’s implementation will depend on continued partnerships as well as community support and engagement. Following the Collective Impact model, Cobb & Douglas Public Health acts as the backbone agency for the Cobb2020 and Live Healthy Douglas coalitions, supporting the collaborative implementation of the CHIP.
Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) Changes
Policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes make healthy choices practical and available to all community members. Residents can see the benefits of these efforts long after the project is completed by changing laws, shaping physical landscapes, and ensuring sustainable community improvements are made.
Source: Frieden T. Am J Public Health; 2010; 100(4)
Health Equity
We recognize that 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 background. We seek to raise the bar for everyone, especially those who face significant barriers to better health. Healthy People 2030 defines health equity as attaining the highest level of health for all people. For each strategic priority being addressed, our goal is to focus on the related social and economic conditions affecting health risks and outcomes. These are referred to as the social determinants of health, and they have the power to positively or negatively affect an individual or family’s ability to achieve health.
According to the Healthy People 2030 framework, the 5 key areas for the social determinants of health are:
Economic Stability
- Employment
- Food Insecurity
- Housing Instability
- Poverty
Education
- Early Childhood Education and Development
- Enrollment in Higher Education
- High School Graduation
- Language and Literacy
Social and Community Context
- Civic Participation
- Discrimination
- Incarceration
- Social Cohesion
Health and Health Care
- Access to Health Care
- Access to Primary Care
- Health Literacy
Neighborhood and Built Environment
- Access to Foods that Support Healthy Eating Patterns
- Crime and Violence
- Environmental Conditions
- Quality of Housing