HEALTH & WELLNESS
NEWS BRIEF
City’s Public Health Division Issues Portland’s Community Health Improvement Plan
The City of Portland’s Public Health Division released the Portland Community Health Improvement Plan. CHIP is a three-year collaborative plan to promote health in Portland. The plan guides activities of public health infrastructure to address issues facing the community.
Health assessments, like the 2019-2020 Health of Portland Report, examine the overall health of a community and identify key health issues facing residents. In Portland, the following health topics were prioritized: behavioral health; nutrition, physical activity, and weight; and safe and accessible housing.
Portland Public Health staff engaged with interested parties and local partners, such as local, regional, and state government, healthcare institutions, behavioral health providers, public health partners, schools, and non-profit agencies to better understand the current context across Portland, reflect on areas for improvement, and plan to address these priorities together.
The definition of health now includes the quality of the community in which we live, work, and play.
People still need to go to the doctor, eat healthily, and exercise. But the City advises they also take into consideration the physical environment, social, and economic factors that influence health. In recognition of this, CHIP aims to ensure health needs are addressed in an equitable way, with particular attention to the most vulnerable populations, such as the poor, uninsured, unhoused, and disempowered people and communities.
The 2022-2025 Community Health Improvement Plan is a living document. As such, adjustments to the CHIP will be made throughout implementation to maximize the impact and success of implemented activities.
To learn more about and access the Health of Portland Report and Community Health Improvement Plan, check out www.portlandmaine.gov/PublicHealth. Or contact Hayley Prevatt at hprevatt@portlandmaine.gov.
