Alumni

Through their project work, participating teams practice key skills that support the community health improvement process. The following is a brief summary of team projects and major accomplishments, organized by community health priorities.

Access to Primary and Preventive Health Services

Healthy People-Wisconsin Oneida Tribe Team utilized community interviewers to conduct a community readiness survey around awareness, access and utilization of Oneida wellness resources. Results have been shared with the Oneida community and the newly formed Oneida Wellness Council to consider in future strategic planning of community health improvement efforts.
Western Region Partnership for Public Health Preparedness Team worked to develop a special needs sheltering plan in Buffalo County.
Wisconsin Public Health Association Dental Hygiene Section worked toward increasing access to dental services and decreasing the incidence of oral disease in Wisconsin by establishing a Wisconsin advanced dental hygienist practitioner. The team focused on developing collaborative partnerships and an action plan to support a dental hygienist career ladder designed to improve access to comprehensive oral health services for disparate populations and communities.
Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health held an educational event for 60+ Hmong women and men from the Milwaukee area.
Milwaukee Urban Indian Wellness Consortium worked to develop an Off-Reservation Research Review Process that will detail a process for evaluating and provide guidance for researchers interested in partnerships involving Native Americans in and around Milwaukee and create pathways for community members or organizations interested in developing partnerships with researchers to investigate or address a special need.
Milwaukee Latino Health Coalition shifted their focus to immigration and is working to ensure access to health care among Milwaukee's Latino community.
Milwaukee Region Cancer Care Network Team brought together competing healthcare systems to develop the Colorectal Cancer Screening Collaborative aimed at increasing colorectal cancer screening in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties.
La Crosse Area Dental Care Advocacy Coalition Team engaged media and provided direct training of health care providers to raise community awareness of oral health care needs in La Crosse County.

Reducing Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use

Northwest Wisconsin CHAMP (Community Health Action via Medical Partnership) Team worked to address alcohol misuse in Ashland and Bayfield Counties. The team collaborated with the tribal nations within their county to address underage alcohol use.
Winnebago's Healthy Living Partnership (re:Th!nk) Team reorganized and restructured the coalition, built capacity of Leadership Committee and created multiple subcommittees. The team held a kickoff event to develop action plans and next steps. They trained over 100 education and law enforcement professionals using "Good Drugs Gone Bad" Tool Kit, distributed free kits/resources, implemented permanent Drug Drop Program and outreached to families, older adults and treatment centers to raise awareness on Rx Drug Abuse.
Fond du Lac Drug Free Communities Task Force implemented a county fair wristband policy to decrease underage drinking and is working to create greater awareness of the effects of underage drinking in the community, and building upon evidence-based and environmental strategies to address the problem.
Barron County Safe and Stable Families Coalition increased utilization of evidence-based school curriculum to reduce substance abuse, increased protective skills in youth and parents and increased funding for implementation of curriculum.
Wisconsin LGBT Youth Health Initiative Team increased data collection statewide related to LGBT health issues, and launched a statewide LGBT youth health coalition and an alcohol prevention intervention for LGBT youth. They received funding to continue alcohol prevention work.

Reducing High Risk Sexual Behavior

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Reduction Task Force conducted an environmental scan of access and availability of sexual health services for adolescents, and began to solicit input from community stakeholders about acceptable evidence-based STI education by conducting a focus group with parents; additional focus groups with teens and providers were planned.
Milwaukee Partnership for Reducing Adolescent Risky Sexual Behavior Team conducted an educational campaign and health care provider trainings to reduce unintended pregnancies in Milwaukee by increasing use of free reproductive health care services among women 15-44 years of age. They received grant funding to support continued work.

Mental Health

Central Wisconsin Health Partnership worked toward better access to mental and behavioral health services in central Wisconsin by expanding partnerships between delivery systems and development of a pilot project that will be implemented with human services and the federally qualified health center in Waushara County.
Fostering Futures Team conducted statewide listening sessions and developed a plan to improve family stability by integrating trauma-informed care principles into the organizations and systems that serve roughly 6,500 Wisconsin children in foster care.
Oneida County Mental Health Inter-Agency Council Team developed a collaborative countywide program and policy initiatives to improve access to mental health care.
Lieutenant Governor’s Task Force Team held a major advocacy event bringing more than 600 Wisconsin residents to the State Capitol to educate elected representatives on the need for equal coverage for physical and mental health. They also helped launch Coalition for Fairness, which will continue to educate and advocate on behalf of mental health parity in Wisconsin.

Physical Activity and Nutrition

Healthier Douglas County Team identified school-based and community policies relating to nutrition and physical activity, and began to identify potential partners and stakeholders to get the policies put into place. The team also applied for and received a Vista worker to work with their coalition for the next one to two years.
Working for Whitewater Wellness (W3) Team worked to address poor nutrition and insufficient physical activity within the community through a variety of activities. A Steering Committee has been established as well as five subcommittees.
Calumet County Action Now (U->CAN) Team launched several coalition action groups to increase physical activity of Calumet County residents, decrease the rate of obesity and the number of overweight individuals in Calumet County and increase education related to healthy nutrition. The action groups focused on worksites, schools and the community. They held several events and programs including: Wellness Wednesdays on the Water, Heart Truth 5K Cheesehead Run, Wellness Bingo and resource wiki for families.
Challenge Chippewa Team (Chippewa County) worked on reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) by youth of childcare age. They partnered with the New York City Health Department, launched the "Pouring on the Pounds" Community Awareness Campaign and piloted SSB policy for childcare and early childhood education.
Greater Green Bay Cancer Network utilized the Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, 2010-2015 and developed a local action plan focused on decreasing obesity rates with improved nutrition in youth.
Green Lake Area Health and Wellness Coalition led the coalition in restructuring to form an executive committee and action groups. The coalition now has a strategic plan and is engaging members in specialized projects and efforts.
Healthy Kids Eau Claire Team developed a healthy snack guide and distributed the snack guide to schools, clinics, sports teams and youth recreation teams.
Polk County Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition created and implemented a marketing plan to increase community and organization coalition representation and awareness of coalition activities.
Healthy People Lincoln County Community Health Improvement Plan (WI) Team collected BMI data from all Lincoln County schools. They are using the data to implement school-based initiatives to support healthy nutrition and physical activity.
Healthy People Wood County: Overweight, Obesity and Lack of Physical Activity (WI) Team implemented a comprehensive health and wellness program in a local elementary school and worked to sustain and expand community initiatives and resources aimed at improving physical activity and nutrition among Wood County residents.
Milwaukee County Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition increased collaboration and communication among organizations working to improve physical activity and nutrition among residents in the Milwaukee area and are implementing a train-the-trainer program.
Activate Fox Cities Team provided leadership to community action groups working to sustain healthier ways to live in Fox Cities’ communities by developing connected walking trails, point of decision prompts encouraging use of stairs in public and private buildings, community-wide participation in Walk-to-Win program, public policy for redesigning bridges and trails and safe routes to schools.
Healthy People Coulee Region Team engaged community members, including local media, to increase the number of children and adults walking or biking to school and work. They are also forming a bicycle advocacy group in the community.
Healthy People Washington County Team planned and implemented worksite farmers’ markets to bring locally grown produce to three worksites, reaching more than 1,200 employees and are developing a toolkit to facilitate replication.
Healthy People Portage County Team implemented a point-of-decision-prompt intervention to improve vending machine food choices among students (more than 1,700) at Stevens Point Area Senior High School. They are expanding their initiative to other schools and local businesses.

Healthy Birth Outcomes

Beloit Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families (LIHF): Pathways to Healthier African American Families Team developed an action plan to increase cultural competency in their healthcare providers as part of a larger plan to reduce preterm births and decrease racial disparities in birth outcomes for African Americans in Beloit.
Healthy Beginnings Dane County (WI) Team worked to advance health and social policies and other essential resources demonstrated to prevent premature births and promote healthy birth outcomes.

Special Pilots

Community Health Improvement Process and Plans (CHIPP) Team worked on defining the skills and capabilities necessary to effectively support communities working on community health improvement process and plans (CHIPP).