Community Health Improvement Plan

Icon of person with brain to illustrate mental health

Mental Health

Icon of prescription medicine to illustrate substance use

Substance Use and Recovery

Icon of bleeding finger to illustrate diabetes

Diabetes

In 2021, public health and health care partners from across the Ozarks came together to assess the health needs of our region. Building on the success of the 2019 Regional Health Assessment, the Ozarks Health Commission worked to better understand the health needs, outcomes, and resources of our community. The 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment combines more than 140 indicators from area hospitals, population data, and input from stakeholders and community members. This process resulted in the identification of three priority health issues for the Springfield Community (Greene, Christian, and Webster Counties): mental health, substance use & recovery, and diabetes.  

View the full 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment at OzarksHealthCommission.org 

In order to address the priority health issues identified in the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, along with local healthcare and mental health partners, began the process of identifying strategies for the 2022 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).  

Identifying the strategies for the CHIP involved researching what programs and systems already exist in Springfield, where there are gaps and understanding what evidence-based initiatives have been successful in other communities. Also, the feasibility of initiatives was evaluated for the following: 

  • Level of local control.  
  • Timeline.  
  • Budget needs and availability.  
  • Reach of impact.  
  • Level of impact.  
  • Sustainability.  
  • Organization or community challenges.  

Through the planning process, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department identified four strategies for the 2022 CHIP:  

  • Establish the Family Connects model in Greene County.  
  • Create the Overdose Fatality Review Board.  
  • Become a Trauma-Informed Community.  
  • Implement a Community Information Exchange.  
  1. Family Connects
  2. Overdose Fatality Review Board
  3. Community Information Exchange
  4. Trauma-Informed Community

Family Connects seeks to provide support to new parents in caring for their newborn(s) through home visits and connection to community resources. The program would provide nursing visits for families after an infant is born to assess the health and community connections of the child and family. There are approximately 3,300 babies born each year in Greene County. Under the Family Connects model, all would be eligible for services if the family accepts. After the visit, Family Connects nurses will improve the wellbeing of the newborn and family by linking families to support and resources. Therefore, this strategy is ideal to accomplish the goal of reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes among children, the 2022 CHNA population of focus.