Sheboygan County Community Health Assessment

Every three years the health department and community partners collaboratively engage to conduct a Community Health Assessment (CHA) in Sheboygan County. The main purpose of a CHA is to complete a comprehensive collection and analysis of data to identify health issues of primary concern. From the CHA, a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is created, which outlines the priorities addressed by local health coalition groups. Miller contributed to the tri-annual CHA and CHIP. She was also asked to lead the Sheboygan Activity and Nutrition Coalition (SCAN.)

Miller plans and facilitates monthly meetings with co-leaders from two other community agencies. These meetings bring community members together to address 4 priority areas within SCAN: physical activity, breastfeeding, healthy foods, and food security. In addition, Miller attends bi-monthly Healthy Sheboygan County meetings, which include the various health coalition leaders (SCAN, mental health, substance use, and abuse, etc.) At these meetings, Miller provides timely updates on SCAN to public health leadership.

As a result of COVID, the SCAN Coalition had not met for nearly 2 years. Miller has worked at bringing the group back together to start fresh on new CHIP goals and objectives. This means re-engaging returning members and recruiting new members. Meetings have not only addressed nutrition and physical activity, but are also intentionally planned to build the coalition members’ capacities in the areas of health equity, leadership, group building, and collective impact. Miller uses tools, resources, and activities from a variety of public health sources to build the coalition further.

Miller has received feedback from both returning and new members that have appreciated the various tools and resources brought to the meetings that focus on coalition capacity building (like health equity, leadership, etc.)

A local health coalition brings together a variety of community members to address complex issues at the local level. It provides a space in which every person is committed to a greater goal, not just the individual or organization’s goal. It creates and strengthens partnerships, avoids duplication of services, and creates new opportunities.

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