Health Education Division
The CPHP assisted the Cumberland and Salem Departments of Health in conducting four recommended MAPP assessments and in reviewing available data related to the jurisdictions of Cumberland and Salem counties. The assessments included:
- Community Themes and Strengths
- Forces of Change
- Community Health Status
- Local Public Health System Assessment
The purpose of the Community Themes and Strengths Assessment was to gain improved understanding about the health need and perceptions of County residents. The assessment aimed at collecting information related to community’s views and perception about health, illness and the quality of life. Staff from Cumberland and Salem County Departments of Health randomly distributed 1,100 surveys to residents in both counties. A total of 419 surveys were returned.
The purpose of the Forces of Change Assessment was to identify the forces that are or will be influencing the health and quality of life of the community and the work of the local public health system. Participants were asked the following questions: “What is occurring or might occur that affects the health of our community or the local public health system?” and “What specific threats or opportunities are generated by these occurrences?”
In order to satisfy the requirement for the Community Health Status, a Community Health Profile was developed. The Community Health Profile displays various statistics regarding health status, education, mortality, crime, employment, and others. These statistics have been collected to portray the current status of both Cumberland and Salem County residents. The conclusions derived are based on both comparisons to the New Jersey and National data.
The Local Public Health System Assessment (LPHSA) focuses on the “local public health system” or all entities that contribute to the delivery of public health services within a community such as hospitals, physicians, schools, social service agencies, community-based organizations as well as others. This system includes all public, private, and voluntary entities, as well as individuals and informal associations. The local instrument was developed by National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The LPHSA is designed around the ten Essential Public Health Services. These services are the foundation of public health practice, illustrate a variety of public health responsibilities and focus on the overall public health system rather than individual agencies. Various public health partners such as health department staff, hospitals, and community agencies met over a two-month period to complete the LPHSA. There were a total of five meetings focusing on two Essential Services at a time. Each essential service was assessed to measure our public health system’s ability to provide or deliver each service.
