WASHINGTON
Focus Area:
Community Health Assessment Practice
Contact:
Christie Spice
Community Assessment Liaison
Washington State Department of Health
1102 SE Quince St.
PO Box 47812
Olympia, WA 98504-7812
P: (360) 236-4345
F: (360) 236-4245
E: christie.spice@doh.wa.gov
Through the Assessment Initiative,
Washington is working to improve the practice of community health assessment
(CHA) among the state's 35 local health jurisdictions (LHJs), enhance Vista
(software tool for CHA), and disseminate Vista to Oregon. The success
will be measured in improved assessment practice through future LHJ performance
on Washington's Standards
for Public Health .
In the first year of the project, a qualitative review
of local CHA practice was conducted to identify model approaches, characteristics
of LHJs with strong CHA practice, types of support needed from the state
health department, and gaps in our public health system's capacity to
implement this work. Vista was also evaluated to assess software performance,
user needs, the partnership between state and local health departments
that support Vista development, and factors linked to successful external
dissemination.
During the next 4 years, Washington will be implementing
projects to enhance knowledge and skill for assessment among local health
staff, including
• Designing a CHA peer mentoring program for
LHJs;
• Building a web-based information clearinghouse
for CHA;
• Creating a CHA technical assistance staff
directory; and
• Developing tools LHJs can use to evaluate
the outcomes of CHA work
Washington will also be working to promote strong leadership
and sustainable funding for CHA and to reduce barriers to local CHA practice
created by categorical program requirements. Planned enhancements to
Vista include development of functionality to create chloropleth maps,
updating and improving the Vista training curriculum, and strengthening
the state-local Vista partnership.
Resources:
Washington
State AIA Web Site
Washington
State Vista Web Site |
.gif){kind=spacer}
