Public health upgrades

On July 26, 2006, representatives of the Sussex County Governmental Public Health Partnership (SCGPHP) attended the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The SCGPHP is comprised of representatives from the Sussex County Division of Health, the Hopatcong Borough Health Department, the Sparta Township Health Department and the Vernon Township Health Department. The NACCHO Annual Conference is frequently cited as one of the most valuable opportunities in the field for local public health professionals to meet to discuss current public health issues. The SCGPHP seized this opportunity to learn about performance improvement strategies from around the country that would meet the unique needs and concerns of Sussex County. Many community health programs and activities in Sussex County have proven successful due in part to travel beyond our County lines and the ability of leaders to “think globally and act locally.” Presently, the SCGPHP is engaged in a County-wide improvement planning process using a nationally recognized model known as MAPP (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships). MAPP and National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) users attended the Conference and shared their best practices. Those who attended from the SCGPHP gained valuable information that will be utilized for the Community Health Needs Assessment, ultimately resulting in a Community Health Improvement Plan for Sussex County. For the first time since 2002, the National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) co-located with the NACCHO Conference in Texas. It is no surprise the Conference is referred as “the year’s largest gathering of local health officials.” In a collaborative effort, both the NALBOH and the NACCHO offered interactive learning opportunities to help attendees gain knowledge of methods that would effectively market the contributions of local public departments, explore accreditation issues and partner with Local Boards of Health to achieve public health goals. One such relationship building workshop entitled, “Supporting One Another in Policy and Practice: Local Boards of Health and Health Officers,” was attended by Health Officer/Director Herbert Yardley of the Sussex County Division of Health. “The NACCHO Conference provided valuable insight as to how others have utilized best practices to work collaboratively with community partners. This training has provided the SCGPHP with performance strategies that will help us improve our work in the County,” stated Herbert Yardley, Health Officer/Director. In addition, the Conference also emphasized the importance of finding new approaches to inform the public about health department programs and services. Hence, this year’s theme: “The Local Health Department Story: Know it. Live it. Share it.”