The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #36927

Jennifer Houlihan¹, Sabeena Mian¹, Tanya Palmer¹, and Dr.Jean Malecki². (1) Planning, Health Care District of Palm Beach County, 324 Datura Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, (2) Palm Beach County Department of Health, P.O. Box 29, 826 Evernia Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, 561-355-3120, jhoulihan@hcdpbc.org

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. Define the local public health system 2. Learn how to engage the community in the assessment process 3. Learn how both quantitative and qualitative data play an important role in assessing the local public health system 4. Develop ideas for using assessment data to strengthen local public health systems

Measuring the public health infrastructure of a local community is essential for ensuring accountability and adequacy of public health services. Palm Beach County, Florida undertook the challenge of completing CDC's public health infrastructure inventory to comprehensively assess its local public health system (LPHS). Palm Beach County measured itself against ten essential health service-model community standards that represent what the ideal would be if a community were performing at an optimal level. The results of the assessment process have been the impetus for new local planning and assessment initiatives that are intended to shape policy decisions and target resources more efficiently in Palm Beach County.

This presentation will outline the process Palm Beach County undertook to complete the assessment. Topics reviewed will include: Planning and implementing 10 workshops to evaluate each essential health service; Ensuring representation from a diverse mix of community members; Reviewing the quantitative and qualitative data methods and assessment findings; and an Overview of Palm Beach County's next steps and action plan. To date, Palm Beach County has been profiled in Public Health, Grand Rounds and has been presented by the CDC as a model community for effectively using the LPHS tool.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the local public health system.
• Learn how to engage the community in the assessment process.
• Learn how both quantitative and qualitative data play an important role in assessing the local public health system.
• Develop ideas for using assessment data to strengthen local public health systems.

Keywords: Community Health Planning, Assessments

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Health Care District of Palm Beach County Centers for Disease Control
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.