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HOWARD COUNTY LOCAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT COALITION

Reena Rambharat, MPH, CHES®, LHIC Manager

Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition

September 8, 2021

Diabetes Strategy Development

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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2018 – 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES

Access to Care

    • Priority 1: Reduce Emergency Department visits for diabetes, hypertension, and asthma in Howard County.
    • Priority 2: Increase the number of Howard County children and adults who access dental care annually.

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Behavioral Health

    • Priority 1: Reduce Emergency Department visits related to mental health conditions in Howard County.
    • Priority 2: Reduce Emergency Department visits for addiction-related conditions in Howard County.
    • Priority 3: Reduce suicide rates in Howard County.

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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2018 – 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES

Healthy Aging

    • Priority 1: Reduce Alzheimer’s and dementia-related emergencies in Howard County.
    • Priority 2: Reduce fall-related deaths in Howard County.

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Healthy Weight

    • Priority 1: Reduce obesity in Howard County.

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www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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HCLHIC IMPACT

  • Website: https://hclhic.org/
  • Members: 512
  • Member organizations: 180
  • Quarterly Full Coalition Meetings

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  • Collaborate with internal and external partners to host webinars/outreach events around COVID-19 and priorities

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  • People educated between July 2020 – July 2021: 13,116

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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2022 – 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN/ DIABETES STRATEGY

PHASE I – July

    • Member Survey: operational elements

PHASE II – September

    • Two virtual community forums
      • Physical Activity, Healthy Eating and Engagement
    • Four Round table discussions
      • Healthy Beginnings (Maternal Child Health, WIC, Obesity Prevention)
      • Healthy Living (physical activity, nutrition, fall prevention, chronic disease prevention/connection to community offered CDSME’s)
      • Mind Health (Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, Resiliency, Brain Health, Social Connection)
      • Community Engagement Grantees

PHASE III – October

    • Draft priorities
    • Present at October’s Full LHIC Meeting
    • Form Community Action Groups

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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FOCUS GROUPS - MESSAGING

  • Community members to be recruited by four (4) organizations
  • 10 – 30 focus group sessions
  • Timeframe: September - November
  • Assess:
    • Current health needs
    • Facilitators and barriers to physical activity, eating fruits, vegetables and drinking water
    • Best ways to reach residents and be engaged
  • Themes will be used to create messages to reach diverse groups in County around healthy eating and physical activity
  • Pilot campaign messages and evaluate

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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WALKTOBER 2021 – INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Main components:

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  1. Walk/move events in October:

https://www.howardcountymd.gov/health/walktober-2021

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2. Four community-focused Walkinars

3. Toolkit to promote walking/moving year-round

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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MAP - EXAMPLE

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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FACILITATORS & BARRIERS IN STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

  • Facilitators:
    • Funding through the MCHRC
    • Technical Assistance and Support from UMD’s Horowitz Center
    • Commitment of MDH and local partners
    • Strong Leadership: HCHD/HCGH partnership
    • Partnership with community (CBPR approach)
    • Shared values: Access, Equity, Health Literacy, Lifespan

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  • Barriers:
    • COVID-19 focus
    • Staff transition

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

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WHAT’S NEXT

  • Strategic Plan completion
    • Form workgroups/ Community Action Groups with community involvement to work on identified priorities
  • Create and pilot messages for healthy eating and physical activity
  • Evaluate Walktober initiatives to improve for next year
  • Re-design current HCLHIC website to be more community-friendly
  • Actively utilize Social Media to engage partners and community members (feedback from 2021 Member Survey)
  • Re-convene CDSME Action Group to coordinate communication of classes from partner agencies

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic

www.hclhic.org

@hclhic