Board of Health signals support for Summit County Community Health Improvement Plan priorities with revisions to wording

The Summit County Board of Health voted Aug. 4 to support the three priorities drafted for the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and asked staff to refine the wording for Priority 1 to better reflect the group’s intent on communication and equitable access.

Staff and board members spent extended discussion on Priority 1, which aims to make community resources and health services more visible and easier to find. Several board members recommended clarifying whether the priority focuses solely on communicating existing resources or also on improving equitable access to those resources. Staff said the goals as written were intentionally outcome‑focused and that measurable objectives and action items — including a proposed community health equity promotion campaign and a shared resource inventory — will be developed beneath each priority to provide specific, measurable steps.

Board members and staff noted proposed objectives already include convening cross‑sector partners to co‑create a shared services inventory, establishing a health‑equity consortium, and developing culturally and linguistically tailored materials for underserved populations. Several board members suggested changing the primary action verb in Priority 1 to center communication efforts on improving equitable access and community benefit; staff agreed to refine the wording and return a final draft with objectives and metrics.

Action taken: the board made a motion to support the CHIP priorities as proposed, with direction that staff refine Priority 1’s language and bring a final CHIP document back for adoption at a later meeting; the motion passed unanimously.

Staff said the final CHIP report — with objectives, measurable indicators and background — will return to the board for formal approval, with the full document expected by December.