Healthy Communities Institute (HCI) announced the winners of their annual Healthy Communities Achievement Awards at the Association for Community Health Improvement 2014 National Conference in Orlando, Florida in March. Children's National Health System/ D.C. Health Matters in Washington, D.C. and Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services in New Albany, Indiana, received top recognition.
The Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County, Inc. was the first runner up for the Award, which honors organizations that form partnerships to carry out health improvement strategies for positive outcomes in their communities.
"The submissions we received this year illustrate how rapidly our clients are transitioning to support population health initiatives through their community-based programs," said Deryk Van Brunt, DrPH, president of Healthy Communities Institute. "Our winners represent the forefront of innovative approaches for integrating data-driven planning, collaborative partnerships and evidence- based programs to make measurable community health improvements."
The Partnership was honored for effectively using data in planning to improve the delivery of mental health services in Carroll County. The Carroll County Local Health Improvement Coalition, or LHIC, (also The Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County, Inc.'s Board of Directors) identified Addictions and Behavioral Health as the highest priorities to be addressed in the FY12-FY14 Local Health Improvement Plan. With leadership from the Bureau of Prevention, Wellness and Recovery, a bureau of the Carroll County Health Department, an innovative model to increase urgent care capacity was implemented. An existing Outpatient Mental Health Center (OMHC) was expanded in 2013, and now provides an alternative to the use of the Emergency Department for individuals seeking care for an urgent behavioral health condition.
