About Us
How We Work | CHIP Initiatives | Affiliated Programs
Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) was initially
formed in 1995 to meet the requirements of California Senate Bill
697 a law that required private, non-profit hospitals to conduct a
triennial community needs assessment.
Since then, CHIP has become known as an innovate think tank for
a wide range of public health issues. CHIP staff manages volunteer
work teams and public-private partnerships that address the
critical healthcare issues identified in our triennial needs
assessment through model projects that unify the community and
effectively share resources.
With the core functions of assessment; outreach; education and
advocacy; program development; and collaboration, CHIP currently
has more than 20 programs, initiatives and work groups-many working
with persons of diverse social economic status and cultural
backgrounds. As a neutral convener, CHIP has mastered the ability
to bring together multiple agencies, organizations and individuals
in a unique partnership with the expectation that partners set
aside their own agendas and work corroboratively for the benefit of
the community-at-large.
CHIP achieves its mission and goals by working through
initiatives, programs and affiliated programs. CHIP forms
initiatives, coalitions or work teams on an ongoing basis based on
the results of our triennial community needs assessment. These
collaborative groups are made up representatives from public
agencies, healthcare providers, community-based organization,
institutes of higher learning, and businesses. CHIP works within
these groups to help identify or implement strategies that address
service gaps that affect public health. CHIP Programs are the
resulting goal-oriented projects that derive from the planning and
leadership of CHIP's many initiatives.
Similar to CHIP Initiatives, CHIP Affiliated programs also work
in collaboration with public and private partners and address needs
outlined in our triennial needs assessment. However, unlike CHIP
Initiatives, Affiliate programs were initiated outside of CHIP, and
for efficiency purposes, CHIP has been contracted to manage these
work groups and programs.
CHIP's current initiatives and affiliated programs are as
follows:
Needs
Assessment : The Needs Assessment provides a resource for
individuals, agencies and institutions to identify community health
needs and concerns. The triennial report outlines changes and
trends in health issues in San Diego County and provides a basis
upon which community health programs and interventions can be
targeted, developed and evaluated.
Access to
Care (ATC) : The ATC work team corroboratively develops ways to
reduce or eliminate barriers to care by addressing issues of the
uninsured and increasing competency in health literacy, cultural
and linguistic issues, transportation, and care coordination.
Safety
Net Connect (SNC) : The SNC project is developing a network and
application that makes it possible for hospital emergency
departments to schedule appointments at, and share information
with, community clinics for patients without medical homes.
ICANATWORK: ICANATWORK is a free
coalition of local business leaders, CEOs, human resource directors
and wellness experts designed to help businesses of all sizes adopt
effective wellness strategies. Investing in health and wellness in
the workplace can help you boost morale, build teamwork, increase
productivity and curb rising healthcare costs. In order to achieve
a healthier San Diego County, it is our mission to help employers
understand health and wellness as an investment rather than as a
line-item expense.
Behavioral Health (BHWT) :
BHWT contributes to the improvement of the mental / behavioral
health of the public and the behavioral health services that serve
them through augmenting existing and/or developing new programs
that strive to make significant, measurable impacts to the
community.
Suicide Prevention Action Plan
Committee (SPAPC) : On April 1, 2010, the County of San Diego
awarded CHIP a grant to form an interagency Suicide Prevention
Action Plan Committee (SPAPC) to create and introduce a Mental
Health Services Suicide Prevention Action Plan for San
Diego County. The action plan will be the sole activity of SPAPC
for the next 2.5-2.5 years.
San Diego
County Childhood Obesity Initiative (COI) : The COI is a
public-private partnership whose mission is to reduce and prevent
childhood obesity in San Diego County by creating healthy
environments for all children and families through advocacy,
education, policy development, and environmental change.
Chula Vista Healthy
Eating Active Communities (HEAC) : Healthy Eating, Active
Communities is a multi-year program sponsored by The California
Endowment. It aims to fight the growing childhood obesity epidemic
in Chula Vista by developing policy changes, partnerships and
programs that reduce the risk factors for diabetes and obesity.