The CDC has released new 2015 YRBSS data, which monitors six types of health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including:
The American Public Health Association (APHA) is a professional organization for public health professionals in the United States whose mission is to “improve the health of the public and achieve equity in health status” by championing the health of all people and all communities, strengthening the public health profession, and speaking out for public health issues and policies backed by science.
A Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is a strategic tool for improving the health of a community through a collaborative process of identifying health needs and opportunities specific to that community.
The CHIPs listed below reflect the dedicated work of broad community cross-sector engagement. Many stakeholders, staff, decision-makers, and other interested persons participated in a series of facilitated meetings to discuss and prioritize community issues.
There is no cookie-cutter approach to address health issues in each of the 77 counties in Oklahoma – each county is different. More importantly, there are many people concerned about similar issues. Community issues of concern in each CHIP are often either similar to or “mirror” those in other CHIPs. These similarities &/or commonalities reveal opportunities for greater inter-sectoral collaboration and strategic partnerships to create synergy to address these complex community issues.
In the examples from counties throughout Oklahoma below, see which community sectors are at the table or which ones may need to be invited. Or, get “connected” with what your surrounding communities are doing, and create greater synergy and/or potential needle-moving community collaboration.
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With the next Certified Healthy Oklahoma application period expected to open this August, now is a great time to become more familiar with the application and prepare to start or continue conversations with local organizations. 
We spoke with Holly Gordon, a TSET Healthy Living Program grantee, to learn what she is doing at the local level to get more businesses, communities, schools, restaurants, campuses, early childhood programs, and congregations certified. As a Healthy Living Consultant at Gateway to Prevention and Recovery in Pottawatomie County, she can help a school, business, or nonprofit with their policies.
Starting the conversation
Says Holly, “The Certified Healthy application is like a checklist – many organizations are already doing things on the application that they don’t think about [as health programs or policies].” Here are her tips for supporting local organizations in applying. [Log in to read the full story!]
Holly has been involved with the Certified Healthy program since House Bill 2774, the Certified Healthy Schools and Communities Act, passed in 2010. At that time, she worked with the Certified Healthy Schools advisory board to create the criteria for Certified Healthy schools. More recently, as Program Coordinator at Gateway to Prevention and Recovery in Pottawatomie County, Holly sees herself as a consultant who can help a school, business, nonprofit, or community incorporate best practices into their policies.
Connect with Holly (@hgordon) for expertise on working with schools – from early childhood centers through university campuses!
Learn more about Certified Healthy here, tell us which Certified Healthy victories you are especially proud of in the Forum (login required), or join the Certified Healthy group (login required) to receive program updates, ask questions, and discuss strategies for promoting the program.
Shape Your Future encourages parents, children and all Oklahomans to live healthier lives every day by eating more fruits and vegetables, getting the appropriate amount of physical activity and being tobacco free. Their website includes tips and tools for spreading messages on eating healthy, keeping active and staying tobacco-free.
>>Learn more about Shape Your Future
This summer, Shape Your Future is encouraging Oklahomans to “Rethink Your Drink” and choose water over sugary beverages as part of an ongoing statewide health initiative supported by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) and the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).
