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SHIP HOME : local-action

 

State Health Improvement Process (SHIP)

Local Action:

 

Most public health progress happens locally where people live, work, learn, play, and access services. Click the map below to view county profiles, Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) information and to find out more about local health planning around the state.
 
                                                               



 

 

 

The SHIP supports local action by offering local planners a model for population health planning, local data sets in six priority areas, resources for planning and action, and, through its interactive website, a series of specific tools and on-going technical assistance. The Department thanks the Maryland Hospital Association and its members for providing start-up support for local planning efforts around the state.
 
Health Services Cost Review Commission: Community Benefits Program
In response to the growing interest in the types and scope of community benefit services provided by Maryland Hospitals, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 15 during the 2001 Legislative Session, which created a new responsibility under the Health Services Cost Review Commission (see Health General §19-303, Maryland Annotated Code). Under the law, HSCRC is responsible for collecting hospital community benefit information from individual hospitals to compile into a publicly available statewide Community Benefit Report (CBR). This larger statewide document contains summary information as well as individual hospital reports.
 
HSCRC has posted the FY13 Community Benefit Report collection documents on their website for your use. At this time, the PSA document and the Deficit Assessment document are unavailable but they will be posted at a later date. The documents as well as Maryland Hospitals' Community Benefits Reports, Individual Hospitals' Narrative Reports, and Community Benefits Data Reports for FY 2004-2011 may be found by clicking here.
 
SHIP Toolkit
A key component of the SHIP is a Toolkit to support local planning and action across public and private sectors, to make progress on the SHIP’s key measures and other locally developed measures of health.
As hospitals, local health departments and other partners convene as local health improvement coalitions, the SHIP toolkit, will be a resource for planning and action. Click HERE for the Toolbox, which now includes over 100 tools for localities and is constantly growing.
 

Featured Tools:

 
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​Community Commons
The purpose of Community Commons is to create healthy, sustainable living communities. It allows for networking with other people and organizations that are working on similar issues. The Commons include maps and data from over 3000 participating initiatives from around the country. Their website allows individuals to create customized maps by utilizing local initiatives and public data. Diagrams, maps, and tools from the Commons can help demonstrate the current state of your community, raise awareness, and push common goals. Visit their website to connect, visualize, engage, and share.

​Free One-on-One Consultation on Public Health Law
Legal approaches to public health aim to ensure that quality public health services and policies protect, promote and preserve health for all regardless of who we are or where we live. The Public Health Law Network is a great resource that provides one-on-one consultation for localities on legal approaches to obesity prevention, injury prevention, food safety, and other SHIP goals, including local help for legal approaches to tobacco control.

​Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
HIA is a practical tool that can provide a structured process to determine a policy or project’s impact on health; bring both immediate and long-term health benefits; and ensure that policy and project dollars are used efficiently to provide the greatest benefit. The National Research Council provides guidance on the use of HIAs in this report. Human Impact Partners (HIP), the only organization in the U.S. focused on capacity building for HIAs, offers the support necessary to conduct HIAs and use the results to make informed choices. The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the RWJF and The Pew Charitable Trusts is designed to promote the use of HIA as a decision-making tool for policymakers.

Maryland Quitline
“Smoke-free Foster Care: Isn’t it About Time?”   
Just by reducing smoking by 10%, we could increase life expectancy in this state and reduce suffering from cancer and many other chronic diseases. The Maryland Quitline provides personalized support to quit smoking. You can help smokers quit by encouraging them to call 1-800-QUITNOW.  Click here to find out how you can access all the Quitline resources. The Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute has launched Smokefree.gov to help you or someone you care about quit smoking. It provides a step-by-step quit guide, tools to help you quit, and allows you to speak with an expert via instant messaging or telephone.

​Youth Tobacco Cessation
Teens Rejecting Abusive Smoking Habits (TRASH)
Address teen tobacco use in a community-based setting (i.e. out of school). This model encourages youth empowerment.
Maryland Resource Center for Quitting Use and Initiation of Tobacco (MDQuit)
Established in 2006 as a statewide resource for providers and professionals in the field regarding best practices in tobacco control.

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids 
 
The Truth

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​U.S. National Library of Medicine Search Engine                                                                                   National Library of Medicine released a new search engine for MedlinePlus, MedlinePlus en español and the NLM Library Web site that allows for easier, more efficient navigation. For assistance with using the search engine, click here.