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1) P.H. Core Function of Assessment: Monitor Health Status to Identify Health Problems Goal: To improve the department’s ability to monitor health status. We must create a system that monitors the health of the people in Richland County. This is to be shared with public health practitioners as well as public leaders and the community so that possible health risks may be identified. Doing so will meet the essential service requirement and establish competency in the core function of assessment.

Goal 1 Strategy 1 Action Steps Responsible Person Completion Date Intermediate Outcome Evaluation
1) Improve the department’s ability to monitor health status 1) Develop a local code of ethics in regard to data collection and dissemination 1) Department IT committee developed Administrator November 2007 IT committee developed and functioning IT committee has assigned a chairman and meets at least monthly
2) Research other functional code of ethics in existence. Department and County IT committees January 2008 # of codes of ethics identified. Demonstrate an understanding of code of ethics.
3) Develop standards of conduct for staff accessing data Department IT committee March 2008 # of standards developed for accessing data. Demonstrate an understanding of the standards.
4) Incorporate code of ethics into policy Department and County IT committees Policy Committee and Board of Healt July 2008 # of policies added or changed due to data ethics. Demonstrate an understanding the policies regarding data ethics.
5) Educate BOH and department staff on code of ethics policy Department IT committee January 2009 # of trainings conducted Pre and post test for the trainings. Also, the number of trainings staff have attended.

Goal 1 Strategy 2 Action Steps Responsible Person Completion Date Intermediate Outcome Evaluation
1) Improve the department’s ability to monitor health status 2) To foster relationships with the community and public leaders 1) Identify the organizations you would like to partner with. Advocacy Committee April 2008 # of organizations identified on a list Demonstrates which organizations are critical to their program
2) Evaluate current relationships with organizations and partners Advocacy Committee May 2008 # of evaluations completed Demonstrate the knowledge of evaluation results and plan of action
3) Identify areas for improvement Advocacy Committee and program directors June 2008 # of plans of action completed Demonstrate a knowledge of the evaluation results and plan of action
4) Become involved in other organization’s activities. All Department staff July 2008 and on-going # of activities staff attended Demonstrate staff involvement in partnerships and other organizations
5) Facilitate increased data collection by private providers. Program Directors June 2009 # of policies written. # of providers aware of the policy All county providers are providing the department with needed information

Goal 1 Strategy 3 Action Steps Responsible Person Completion Date Intermediate Outcome Evaluation
1) Improve the department’s ability to monitor health status 3) Collaborate with the County IT on establishing a Geographic Information System (GIS) for Richland County. 1) Inform/educate RCHD staff about GIS Administrator February 2008 # of staff educated and # of staff that indicate that they have a better understanding of GIS Demonstrate the use of GIS for the department or a particular program.
2) Create a Department GIS Committee Administrator June 2008 Committee formed Three staff members are participating in the GIS committee.
3) Identify areas that would utilize GIS Department GIS Committee December 2008 # of areas/programs identified Do programs that could utilize GIS do so?
4) A policy and procedure is written with the county as to how to utilize the GIS program and equipment. Department GIS committee December 2008 # of policies written and approved

Goal 1 Strategy 4 Action Steps Responsible Person Completion Date Intermediate Outcome Evaluation
1) Improve the department’s ability to monitor health status 4) Inform community and public leaders of code of ethics related to data collection and dissemination of information 1) Create a presentation outlining above mentioned code of ethics Administration June 2008 Presentation is created Plan was presented to staff and critiqued
2) Criteria for important public leaders is created Administration May 2008 Criteria are created Criteria yields public leaders
3) A list of potential public leaders is created Administration June 2008 A list is created The list has at least 10 names
4) A mtg is set to give presentation Administration October 2008 Mtg is attended 80% of leaders identified on list appear at the mtg

Goal 1 Strategy 5 Action Steps Responsible Person Completion Date Intermediate Outcome Evaluation
1) Improve the department’s ability to monitor health status 5) Creation of a public health forum for public access to information 1) Decide what information is to be included in forum Advocacy Committee/IT June 2008 A list was created Criteria is efficient in choosing pertinent public info.
2) Consult IT to se if forum can be integrated with Richland.org website Advocacy Committee/IT March 2008 IT was consulted Integrating info with pre-existing website is viable or is not a viable option
3) If info cannot be integrated, consult IT to make a website Advocacy Committee/IT December 2008 IT was consulted Website was created

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