HHSA releases Community Health Improvement Plan

5-year timeline to tackle largest identified community health issues

VISALIA — Improving health in Tulare County is the aim of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), released Tuesday by the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency’s Public Health Branch. The CHIP addresses, over a five-year period, three critical issues affecting the health of Tulare County residents.

The CHIP resulted from the Community Health Assessment, a comprehensive assessment of the state of health of county residents, released in April 2017, which identified 16 issues that were analyzed and reduced to three main issues by members of the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) Steering Committee.

Subcommittees that include public health staff and community partners have been formed with corresponding goals, objectives, activities, and measurements to address the selected issues over the next five years:

— Improving access to health care

— Preventing and managing diabetes

— Increasing health literacy

To improve access to healthcare, the goals are: to increase the number of clinic staff and providers who are competent in working with special populations; to ensure the public knows how and when to access care; and to establish and expand services in remote areas. Goals to help prevent and manage diabetes in Tulare County are: to improve identification and management of pre-diabetes and diabetes; to increase opportunities for physical activity; and to increase consumption of healthy food and beverages. Health literacy is incorporated in the two issues. It addresses improved education with the public as to when and where to access care; providing assistance in managing diabetes; increasing consumption of healthy food and beverages; and creating opportunities for physical activity.

The Tulare County Public Health Branch conducted intensive community outreach to collect health data and gather the concerns of community members and organizations across the county. The Public Health Branch thanks the community-wide steering committee and the more than 44 partner organizations, including hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, and civic groups, that participated and assisted with the process.

Anyone interested in participating in the ongoing activities of the Tulare County CHIP is welcome to join the Access to Care Coalition and/or the Diabetes Coalition by contacting Tulare County Public Health at 624-8480.