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State Health Planning
 
PLANS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
Population-based health planning is carried out at many levels in Connecticut. The State Health Planning web pages consolidate information about health planning initiatives in our state, to help reduce fragmentation of efforts and facilitate coordination among DPH, other State agencies, and community partners.
 
Contents: 
  1. Healthy People - Healthy Connecticut. 
    The Healthy Connecticut initiative is our state's translation of the national Healthy People initiative. Like Healthy People, Healthy Connecticut provides a framework for health promotion and disease prevention through goals and objectives to identify and reduce the most important preventable threats to the health of our population. 

    Healthy People 2020 was launched on December 2, 2010, along with an exciting new interactive web site, www.healthypeople2020.gov. For each of the 39 topic areas, there is an Overview, a List of Objectives, descriptions of evidence-based Interventions and clinical recommendations, and links to Resources.

    >>  See Healthy People - Healthy Connecticut web page 

  2. Comprehensive State Health Plans and Assessments.
    The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the lead agency for public health planning in the state; it is mandated to develop a comprehensive, multiyear state health plan comprising assessments of the health status of Connecticut's population and the availability of health facilities. (Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 368a, Section 19a-7.)  

    Recent plans can be accessed through the DPH online planning library, and older plans are archived at the Connecticut State Library.

    In 2012-2013, DPH, in collaboration with partners from across the state, is undertaking a major initiative to develop a comprehensive State Health Assessment and State Health Improvement Plan. The activities are part of the National Public Health Improvement Initiative, and will fulfill key prerequisites for achieving national accreditation. 

    >>  See: Public Health Improvement and Accreditation
    >>  See: Comprehensive State Health Plans and Assessments 
    >>  SeeState Health Assessment and State Health Improvement Planning Initiative 

  3. DPH Categorical Health Improvement and Strategic Plans. 
    Health promotion and disease prevention programs at DPH develop health improvement plans or strategic plans to address specific acute and chronic diseases and conditions (e.g., diabetes, stroke), behavioral risks (e.g., obesity, tobacco use), population health (e.g., adolescents, children and youth with special health care needs), and other public health concerns and services (e.g., injury, sexual violence, emergency medical services, genomics). These plans are available in the DPH online planning library.

    The Directory of Connecticut Public Health Plans (2010, PDF 4.6 MB) contains abstracts of 35 recent health improvement and strategic plans issued by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Each abstract contains summary listings of goals, objectives, strategies, priorities, and/or recommendations from the plan, along with other key information. Plans are cross-referenced by subjects (Keyword Index) and population groups (Target Population Index), to identify areas of mutual interest and facilitate collaboration and consistency among public health programs and services to improve public health in Connecticut.

    >>  SeeDPH Health Improvement Plans and Strategic Plans 

  4. DPH Surveillance and Needs Assessments.
    Surveillance and needs assessments are key to evidence-based health planning. Various DPH programs and units conduct these activities, and the resulting data are used for setting priorities and making decisions about public health activities and policies. Surveillance data and needs assessment findings are available under individual topic listings on the DPH web site (see links below).

    >>  See: Statistics and Research 
    >>  See: Disease and Prevention

  5. Plans Issued by Other State Agencies. 
    Several other State agencies have developed their own focused health or health-related plans. These planning documents currently are available from the respective agencies.  (See: Commission on Aging, Office of the Child Advocate , Office of Health Care AccessState Office of Rural Health, Department of Children and Families, Department of Correction, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Department of Social Services , and Department of Transportation)
 
TOOLS FOR PLANNERS
Guide and Template for Comprehensive Health Improvement Planning
The DPH Guide and Template for Comprehensive Health Improvement Planning, published in June, 2009, provides a framework and standards for development of health improvement plans and is consistent with guidelines of many planning initiatives funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
 
>>  Download Planning Guide and Template (PDF 3.8 MB)
Connecticut Health Database Compendium
All plans developed by DPH are data driven. Much of the data on which objectives are based and tracked reside in the dozens of databases maintained by the agency. The Connecticut Health Database Compendium, issued periodically by the Planning Branch, contains profiles of 53 key databases.
 
>>  Download the 2012 Connecticut Health Database Compendium, (PDF, 3 MB)
 
 
For more information, please contact Public Health Systems Improvement at 860-509-8070.
 
 
RELATED PLANNING BRANCH WEB PAGES AND DOCUMENTS:
 >>  Connecticut Women's Health (2001) PDF 2.6 MB