DPH Presents 2020 State Health Improvement Plan Progress Report and Hosts Virtual Roundtables
The public and health stakeholders are invited to engage in two virtual roundtables to further refine the 2020 State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Progress Report. The annual SHIP report describes how the Division of Public Health (DPH) and the community it serves will work together to improve the health of Delaware’s population and the conditions that support health and well-being.
“The work of protecting and improving health in Delaware depends upon the collaboration and collective action of many public and private sectors, partners and stakeholders,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “While the state health department has an important role to play and can provide guidance and data, we can only help Delawareans reach their optimal health when working with a broad and robust network of partners.”
Stakeholders and partners from government, non-profit, business, and community-based organizations/grassroots collectives within health and non-health sectors can use the State Health Improvement Plan report to set priorities, direct the use of resources, and develop and implement projects, programs and policies.
Hosted by DPH and the Partnership for Healthy Communities (PHC) at the University of Delaware (UD), the roundtables will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and Wednesday, January 20, 2021, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The virtual events will discuss the report findings and allow stakeholders to provide input. Although there is no fee to participate, advanced registration is required. For more details and to register, visit https://delawareship.org/upcoming-ship-events.
“We all have a role to play in working to improve the health outcomes of Delawareans, and the distribution of such outcomes in communities across our state,” said PHC Director Rita Landgraf. “Cross-sector collaborations, community engagement and partnerships are key.”
The SHIP has four priority areas: chronic disease, maternal and child health, substance use disorder, and mental health. The 2020 SHIP annual report provides an opportunity to assess progress and ensure that stakeholder activity is synergistic and aligned around recommendations from the 2018-2023 SHIP plan. As Delaware is mid-way through the five-year plan, this report highlights new and emerging evidence-based strategies and promising practices for population health improvement to be considered moving forward, while summarizing key activities already underway in Delaware. System-wide recommendations call for policy, systems and environmental change, strategies to address the social determinants of health, the promotion of health in all policies, and the incorporation of social marketing.
DPH and PHC will implement the State Health Improvement Plan. PHC will oversee the UD’s new SHIP Fellowship Program and provide structured opportunities for student engagement and scholarship to support SHIP stakeholders in planning, implementation, and refinement of the state plan. The SHIP Fellowship Program and this type of community-engaged scholarship for health will be especially timely for the state’s COVID-19 recovery.
The 2020 SHIP Annual Report is available at delawareship.org, which has updated resources and a new look.Â
