Project Experience
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Since our inception in 1995, the CHI has completed hundreds of projects. All our projects demonstrate our commitment to promoting healthier lives for everyone in the region. Our work spans the Ten Essential Services of Public Health, a framework which defines the scope of public health practice.
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The Ten Essential Services of Public Health which describe a health improvement cycle are illustrated below. Click on an essential service to see its description. Then, you can follow the link at the bottom of the description to see CHI projects related to that essential service. |
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| #1: Monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems: |
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The first step in health improvement is to understand the problem. CHI staff has completed numerous needs assessments at the state and local levels to assess health status. These analyses have involved qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis and publication of information on access, utilization, costs, and outcomes of personal health services. |
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| #2: Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community: |
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Using data collected to identify threats to health and safety, priorities for improvement can be established. The CHI works with state and local partners to develop tracking systems to identify threats to the public’s health and safety and to implement strategies for mitigating or reducing these threats. |
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| #3: Inform, educate, and empower people about health issue: |
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After identifying health threats, one approach to improving health is to educate the public about the risks to health and safety and provide individuals with strategies for improving personal health. The CHI has expertise and experience in educating communities and populations through training, social marketing and targeted media public communication to reinforce health promotion messages and programs. |
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| #4: Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems: |
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Another strategy for improving health of the public is to work with community partners to support individuals’ efforts. The CHI has particular experience in coalition-building to draw upon the full range of potential human and material resources in the cause of community health. |
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| #5: Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts: |
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To support health improvement efforts, a coordinated plan of action is needed that guides partners. The CHI has lead numerous efforts to develop statewide and regional plans for health improvement. This work may ultimately lead to development of codes, regulations and legislation to guide the practice of public health. |
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| #6: Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety: |
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This service involves full enforcement of codes, regulations and legislation. The CHI does not directly participate in enforcement but supports enforcement efforts through training and technical assistance to those involved in enforcement including Health Officers and regional public health entities. |
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| #7: Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable: |
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Improving overall health status of the population requires access to needed health services in a timely manner. The CHI works with health care organizations to facilitate access to a coordinated system of clinical care for vulnerable populations including the uninsured and underinsured, minorities, and other at risk populations. |
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| #8: Assure a competent public and personal health care workforce: |
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To ensure that public and personal health services are high quality, personnel delivering these services need continuing education and training. The CHI supports education and training for personnel to meet the needs for public and personal health services. |
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| #9: Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services: |
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This service calls for ongoing evaluation of health programs to assess program effectiveness. The CHI has designed and conducted numerous evaluations of programs at the national, state and local levels. This work provides critical feedback on the success of interventions designed to improve health of populations and communities. With this information, corrective action can be taken to assure interventions achieve their intended goal. |
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| #10: Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems: |
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This service includes continuous linkage with appropriate institutions of higher learning to conduct needed health services research. The CHI partners with institutions of higher learning to conduct research to support effective public health practice. |
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