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Atlantic County health officer outlines strategic public health plan, flags workforce and funding concerns
Summary
Cara Janssen, Atlantic County Division of Public Health director and health officer, presented a strategic plan covering July 2024–2027 that emphasizes workforce sustainability, equity, partner networks and monitoring; commissioners asked about mental-health programming, physician shortages and outreach to faith-based groups.
Cara Janssen, division director for public health and the Atlantic County health officer, presented the county's strategic public health plan and community survey findings to the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners, saying the plan "began in July of 2024" and will guide work through 2027.
The plan, Janssen told the board, was developed with grant funding routed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the State Department of Health and with input from 27 internal and external partners and a vendor called Strategic Health Advisors. "We used feedback from our internal and external partners to redefine our mission and our vision," she said, and described three strategic priorities: a sustainable workforce, improving health and equity, and strengthening the division's voice in funding and partnerships.
The presentation matter-of-factly framed the plan as a guiding tool rather than a precise, binding document. Janssen said the county completed a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats analysis, identified a need for succession planning as staff near retirement and noted recent and prospective state grant cuts that will require program adjustments.
Commissioner Grama asked whether mental health has become more central to the department's work since the COVID-19 pandemic. Janssen said trainings and state-supported programs expanded capacity and that requests for community mental-health presentations and stress-management programming have increased.
On access to care and provider shortages, Janssen said the county has hospital systems and a federally qualified health center participating in planning groups but noted that some new practices simply reassign local physicians rather than increasing provider capacity. She listed three work groups that will shape the community health improvement plan: transportation, access to care and services, and healthy foods.
Janssen said a community health assessment document prepared by the vendor would be available to commissioners in June. She invited commissioners to join the implementation work groups, and said the division will use routine monitoring and stakeholder involvement to track progress.
During discussion commissioners and Janssen identified gaps in outreach to faith-based organizations and said an Atlantic County intern will begin a project this summer to engage faith-based partners. Janssen also referenced training resources from Rutgers and said the county is pursuing internal committees and succession planning to build a more resilient workforce.
No formal action or vote was taken; the presentation concluded with an invitation for additional questions and an offer to follow up in writing with the community health assessment and related materials.
