State Tracking Network Informs Community Health Assessment

Submission Date: April 2015

State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: New York

States/Territories Involved: New York

Funding Source: CDC

CDC Funding:

Yes

CDC Funding (Specified):

Other CDC Funding

Domain Addressed:

Epidemiology and Surveillance

Public Health Issue:

Quality Data Needed for Community Health Improvement Plan

• The New York State Prevention Agenda for 2013–2017 mandates local public health units to work with local hospitals and health care partners to complete a Community Health Improvement Plan.
• The Madison County Health Department’s Environmental Division was directed to submit an environmental health report as a part of the plan. The report identified the plan priorities related to issues such as water quality, air quality, healthy community design, and transportation. Madison County used some of its local data for parts of the assessment. But they wanted to add more information to draw a full picture of the county’s environmental health.

Program Action:

Tracking Data Supplement County Data

• To complete the assessment, Madison County secured additional data from the New York State Tracking Network. They also used CDC’s Tracking Network data on climate change and diseases, which was not available from the state. Because the Tracking Network had such a wealth of information available, Madison County compiled a comprehensive profile report for inclusion in the Community Health Improvement Plan. Full Report at: http://issuu.com/cjcoe63/docs/7-madisondoh_cha_environmental

Impact/Accomplishments:

Local Officials See Benefit of the Tracking Network

• Local officials in Madison County are beginning to more fully understand the importance of collecting data at the local level in order to plan and make informed decisions on issues that are affecting, or could affect, the health of county residents. “I can truthfully say we are quite proud of this report, and attribute much of the content to our use of the Tracking Network,” said Geoffrey Snyder, Director of Environmental Health, Madison County Health Department.
• As Madison County moves forward with implementing Community Health Assessment strategies, county health department staffers are using the state’s tracking network to assess connections between conditions in the environment that may be contributing to chronic disease at the county level. In addition, they are promoting use of the state and national Tracking Networks with their partners.

Program Areas:

Environmental Public Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance

State Contact Information:

New York
New York State Environmental Public Health Tracking Program

<< Back to All Success Stories