CALHOUN COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD), Summit Pointe and various community organizations have completed the county’s first Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
Health Department officials say a CHIP is a community-driven, long-term, systematic plan to address issues identified in a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which includes recommendations and strategies for improving health through leveraging existing resources and partnerships.
Officials go onto say the CHIP provides an actionable roadmap of evidence-based strategies to address the top health needs and priorities as identified in the CHNA, and can be implemented by hospitals, local health departments, community health centers, community-based organizations, and additional sectors in Calhoun County.
The priority areas include behavioral health and maternal, fetal, and infant health. The Steering Committee included foundational goals, including health equity and access to quality health services, which are the overarching themes of the priority areas.
“While we are excited about the completion of the first ever health improvement plan, this is only the beginning. The CHIP will continue to steer us toward tackling these health determinants in our county,” said Eric Pessell, Health Officer of Calhoun County Public Health Department. “The health department will continue to work with our partners to adapt this plan as new health needs are determined, and current health needs are addressed in our community.” continues Eric Pessell.
The 2023 CHIP is available on the Calhoun County Public Health Department and MICalhoun websites. Calhouncountymi.gov/publichealth and MICalhoun.org
The CHIP can also be viewed here: Access the CHIP
