Effective Collaboration to Implement Community Health Improvement Plans
Abstract
“Limited bandwidth” and “staffing challenges” are common refrains from organizations that contribute to community health, from community-based organizations to health care systems to schools to county services. With much to do and little time, how do we bring together organizations from across the local public health system to collaborate effectively to implement a robust Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)? In partnership with Cobb2020 and Live Healthy Douglas, Cobb & Douglas Public Health drew from two frameworks (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships [MAPP] and Collective Impact) to bring together partners from across the community to develop and then implement a CHIP. Workgroups that address “access to primary and dental care,” “behavioral and mental health,” “maternal and infant health,” and “healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors” are leading the implementation of our CHIP. Drawing from the two frameworks, the workgroups have been facilitated using a combination of in-person and digital meetings and tools such as data dashboard applications, cloud-based shared documents, and actor mapping. Further, tools and approaches have been selected which effectively and efficiently use workgroup members’ time without being difficult to facilitate. Tailoring the selection of approaches/tools to each workgroup’s needs along with frequent feedback results in more consistent engagement (demonstrated by meeting attendance and participation) and effective collaboration (demonstrated by new or increased work among partners and action item ownership). We will explain how we adapted MAPP and Collective Impact, what approaches and tools have been useful in increasing engagement and collaboration, and invite attendees to discuss how they might implement or adapt these approaches to use in their own communities.
Keywords
Community Health Improvement Plan, community partnerships, collaboration
Effective Collaboration to Implement Community Health Improvement Plans
“Limited bandwidth” and “staffing challenges” are common refrains from organizations that contribute to community health, from community-based organizations to health care systems to schools to county services. With much to do and little time, how do we bring together organizations from across the local public health system to collaborate effectively to implement a robust Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)? In partnership with Cobb2020 and Live Healthy Douglas, Cobb & Douglas Public Health drew from two frameworks (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships [MAPP] and Collective Impact) to bring together partners from across the community to develop and then implement a CHIP. Workgroups that address “access to primary and dental care,” “behavioral and mental health,” “maternal and infant health,” and “healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors” are leading the implementation of our CHIP. Drawing from the two frameworks, the workgroups have been facilitated using a combination of in-person and digital meetings and tools such as data dashboard applications, cloud-based shared documents, and actor mapping. Further, tools and approaches have been selected which effectively and efficiently use workgroup members’ time without being difficult to facilitate. Tailoring the selection of approaches/tools to each workgroup’s needs along with frequent feedback results in more consistent engagement (demonstrated by meeting attendance and participation) and effective collaboration (demonstrated by new or increased work among partners and action item ownership). We will explain how we adapted MAPP and Collective Impact, what approaches and tools have been useful in increasing engagement and collaboration, and invite attendees to discuss how they might implement or adapt these approaches to use in their own communities.
