Working in Groups
The Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) works as a community strategist in optimizing health and wellness for our community. One of the most important ways to accomplish this is to work together with community partners and residents of Winnebago County.
Policy, systems and environmental change is a way of modifying the environment to make healthy choices practical and available to all community members. By changing laws through policy, improving systems of access and care, and shaping physical landscapes, a big impact can be made that affects an entire community. For WCPH to lead successful community strategy it takes many partners and community members to identify, support and promote our health initiatives.
- Share resources
- Multiple perspectives
- Establish support and sustainability for programming
Many of our coalitions and initiatives work within a health equity framework. Among other things, this encourages residential participation of those groups in our community most affected by an issue, in community health improvement work.
Benefits of resident participation:
- Diverse representation is important in identifying actual needs and barriers to health
- One size does not fit all - it should not be assumed that what might work for one group will work for all
- Responsibility - as defenders of the public health it is our duty to protect and enhance the quality of life for all residents, particularly those most vulnerable to health threats
Aligning and coordinating efforts towards health promotion, disease prevention, and health equity across a wide range of partners is essential to the success of health improvement.
