St. Lucie County Community-Based Health Planning

1. St. Lucie County Community-Based Health Planning Edgardo Morales, MPH Office of Strategic Planning St. Lucie County Health Dept. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you about how St. Lucie County Health Department has used the MAPP process to engage other partners in community based health planning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you about how St. Lucie County Health Department has used the MAPP process to engage other partners in community based health planning.

2. St. Lucie County Population = 241,000 Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 = 25%; Florida = 11% By 2010, population estimate = 314,000 Median household income, 2003 = 37,388; Florida = $38,985 Persons below poverty, 2003 = 12.9%; Florida = 13.0% St. Lucie Co. has a population of aprox. 241,000. The county has experienced tremendous growth in population. Two years ago, one of the county�s cities, Port St. Lucie, was the fastest growing community in the nation. Today, PSL is merely the third fastest growing community in the nation. With such a fast growth, health resources can see a stress because of lack of funding at the initial steps in implementing programs. One example of this is the shortage of funding to support having school health nurses that can staff the schools that are already bursting at the seams.St. Lucie Co. has a population of aprox. 241,000. The county has experienced tremendous growth in population. Two years ago, one of the county�s cities, Port St. Lucie, was the fastest growing community in the nation. Today, PSL is merely the third fastest growing community in the nation. With such a fast growth, health resources can see a stress because of lack of funding at the initial steps in implementing programs. One example of this is the shortage of funding to support having school health nurses that can staff the schools that are already bursting at the seams.

3. St. Lucie County St. Lucie County Health Dept. creates the Office of Strategic Planning in 2005 MAPP begins in February, 2005. Potential Public Health Partners = 54 Local Public Health Performance Standards (LPHPS) Assessment completed in May,2005 with 22/54 (40%) PH Partners. In view of these challenges in terms of planning for immediate and future challenges, SLCHD created the office of strategic planning in 2005. Early in that same year SLCHD began the MAPP process by identifying potential public health partners. After calling the potential partners and explaining to them the importance of engaging in a dialogue to improve the health of the community, 22 partner agencies answered to call to participate in this process, and they answered with enthusiasm. This is how they, in May of 2005, attend our first meeting to assess the state of our local public health system. (Show two pictures)In view of these challenges in terms of planning for immediate and future challenges, SLCHD created the office of strategic planning in 2005. Early in that same year SLCHD began the MAPP process by identifying potential public health partners. After calling the potential partners and explaining to them the importance of engaging in a dialogue to improve the health of the community, 22 partner agencies answered to call to participate in this process, and they answered with enthusiasm. This is how they, in May of 2005, attend our first meeting to assess the state of our local public health system. (Show two pictures)

4. St. Lucie County St. Lucie County Public Health Partners: Two local HCA Hospitals Florida Community Health Center American Cancer Association New Horizons: Mental Health Organization Law Enforcement: Sheriffs and Police United Way of SLC Coalition Organizations: Diabetes, Healthy Start, etc. The spectrum of public health partners that we were able to engage was very wide. From the obvious public health sector to the not so obvious such as Law enforcement, to the private sector such as the economic council, media, and a couple of retail organizations.The spectrum of public health partners that we were able to engage was very wide. From the obvious public health sector to the not so obvious such as Law enforcement, to the private sector such as the economic council, media, and a couple of retail organizations.

5. St. Lucie County -Indian River Community College: Nursing -A Pharmacy Retail organization -Representatives from local County Gov�t -County Community Services -School Board -Friends of St. Lucie: a 501(c) non-profit organization that sponsors health events. -Executive Roundtable: CEO�s of many other agencies Our local community college has been able to provide one of their technically advanced board rooms at a very affordable price, and Friends of St. Lucie, a 501 c non-profit organization has been able to provide funds not only to pay for the expenses of using the conference and board room, but also to pay for food and refreshments for our meetings, making this arrangement a very convenient way for partners to meet and engage in ideas.Our local community college has been able to provide one of their technically advanced board rooms at a very affordable price, and Friends of St. Lucie, a 501 c non-profit organization has been able to provide funds not only to pay for the expenses of using the conference and board room, but also to pay for food and refreshments for our meetings, making this arrangement a very convenient way for partners to meet and engage in ideas.

6. St. Lucie County The St. Lucie County Health Dept. sponsors a Health Summit in July, 2005 Results of the LPHPS are made public to community, media, and PH Partners After the Health Summit, Public Health Partners = 30 member agencies In July 2005 the results of our local ph performance standards assessment are public. This resulted in some initial discussions on taking the necessary steps to improve the county�s ph system and provide a better safety net to our residents and visitors.In July 2005 the results of our local ph performance standards assessment are public. This resulted in some initial discussions on taking the necessary steps to improve the county�s ph system and provide a better safety net to our residents and visitors.

7. St. Lucie County First phase of planning - Public Health Partners met in August, 2005 to look at the Local Public Health System�s opportunities for improvement. PH Partners used the Ten Essential Public Health Services as framework for an Action Plan. The following month of August, our partners met again to seriously look at the assessment results and to prioritize and formalize action steps to improve. They used the 10 essential ph services as the framework for this plan. The following month of August, our partners met again to seriously look at the assessment results and to prioritize and formalize action steps to improve. They used the 10 essential ph services as the framework for this plan.

8. St. Lucie County Second phase: St. Lucie County Health Profile Meeting in October, 2005, with now 32 partner agencies (60%) The PH Partners analyzed County Health Profile Five Strategic Themes aligned with opportunities for improvement for the Ten Essential Public Health Services The 2nd phase of our planning process took place in October with the analyses of the St. Lucie County Health Profile located in Charts. From October to December, 2005 the partners identified five strategic themes that cut across the ten essential public health services highlighting those services that were important to our community and needed immediate closer attention.The 2nd phase of our planning process took place in October with the analyses of the St. Lucie County Health Profile located in Charts. From October to December, 2005 the partners identified five strategic themes that cut across the ten essential public health services highlighting those services that were important to our community and needed immediate closer attention.

9. St. Lucie County Five Strategic Themes are: Improving Access to Health Care Reducing HIV/AIDS/other STD�s Enhancing Health Education and Promotion of Healthy Behaviors Improving Mental Health Services Reducing Teen Pregnancy Even though the theme about improving mental health services includes perspectives in the areas of access to health care and promotion of healthy behaviors such as avoiding alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and drug use, the partners felt necessary to give mental health its own unique area in planning.Even though the theme about improving mental health services includes perspectives in the areas of access to health care and promotion of healthy behaviors such as avoiding alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and drug use, the partners felt necessary to give mental health its own unique area in planning.

10. St. Lucie County Third Phase: PH Partners formed five subcommittees One Strategic Theme = One Subcommittee They had complete autonomy. They met independently from other subcommittees. They met with theme area experts. We had a list of theme area experts and each of them were deployed to each subcommittee for support in terms of data and information expertiseWe had a list of theme area experts and each of them were deployed to each subcommittee for support in terms of data and information expertise

11. St. Lucie County Subcommittees met from January to May, 2006 to formulate goals and action plan strategies for each theme. On June, 2006 all PH Partners came back to a consensus meeting to finalize our Community-Based Health Improvement Plan

12. St. Lucie County Some Results from the Community-Based Health Improvement Planning Process: Plans to create an Executive Steering Committee (Task Force) Plans to initiate the creation of a Health Care Taxing District 1. Executive steering comm To oversee the implementation of the plan, 2. Health Care taxing District to close the gaps and disparities to Access to Health Care 1. Executive steering comm To oversee the implementation of the plan, 2. Health Care taxing District to close the gaps and disparities to Access to Health Care

13. St. Lucie County Marketing and Communication Plan to engage more partners The St. Lucie County Board of Commissioners allocated new funding to support more school health nurses A better a Public Health System support through partnership

14. St. Lucie County Our Plan is still a work in progress. But Action is what makes any plan work. You will never achieve results if you continuously work to achieve the �Perfect Plan�. Create a simple plan by following a Planning Rule of Thumb. Whenever you and your partners decide on a plan, put actionable objectives immediately and put the plan to work. Many times we spin our wheels doing nothing but planning trying to come up with the Perfect Plan. I don�t believe there is such a thing as the Perfect Plan, however, you do need to follow some simple rules in planning I learned along the way.Whenever you and your partners decide on a plan, put actionable objectives immediately and put the plan to work. Many times we spin our wheels doing nothing but planning trying to come up with the Perfect Plan. I don�t believe there is such a thing as the Perfect Plan, however, you do need to follow some simple rules in planning I learned along the way.

15. St. Lucie County A Plan should have three to five Perspectives or Strategic Themes Each Strategic Theme should have no more than two goals Each Goal should have no more than three objectives Each objective should have one performance measure or metric

16. St. Lucie County Thank you!!!