The Clark County Health Department and the Clark Regional Foundation for the Promotion of Health are seeking public input to complete the third phase of the MAPP process.
The community is invited to take part in a workshop Sept. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Clark County Extension Office to discuss health care in Clark County.
“You bring all of the partners in a local public health system in a community together, and together you judge how you’re doing as a community,” Clark County MAPP¿Director Beth Willet said.
Willet and other MAPP committee members have been collecting data about local health care since January. MAPP (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership) is a program developed by the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Centers for Disease Control to help communities improve health care. All information collected through the six-step process is compiled into a Community Health Improvement Plan. The plan outlines strengths and weaknesses and goals.
The six steps are planning and development, visioning, data collection, identification of strategic issues, goals and strategies to address those issues and taking action.
“It’s data-driven decision making,” Willet said.
Clark County began the MAPP¿process in November 2011 with an explanatory meeting for interested individuals and local leaders. Data collection began in January.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the MAPP process should include four types of surveys. So far, Willet said information has been taken from interviews with key health care and public officials, focus groups and a community survey. The upcoming meeting also will include a survey of how Clark County is performing the 10 essential health care functions outlined by the CDC.
After the meeting, the surveys will be analyzed by the CDC and a report will be sent to the MAPP committee.
“Anyone that wants to come and give input on the delivery of healthcare in this community can come,” Willet said.
Participants are encouraged to stay for the entire day-long meeting, but Willet said any amount of participation is welcome.
Pre-registration is requested so participants can be placed in groups based on the services they use most often.
The data compilation will be distributed to the public Nov. 14.
“Based on the data, we will prioritize strategic issues to work on in Clark County the next 3-5 years,”¿Willet said.
To pre-register for the meeting, call Willet at 744-1488.
For more information on MAPP, visit www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/mapp/.
Contact Rachel Gilliam at rparsons@winchestersun.com.
