WCHD Cross-Divisional Teams

Public health builds capacity by bringing partners together to align efforts. This does not just happen in the community but within our departments and we have many cross-divisional projects that show this. Below are three long-term internal teams that have been developed to dive into issues with a strategic lens.

Equity

The Health Equity Team brings together the perspectives of all areas within the health department, working towards building a stronger understanding of and commitment to health equity. The overall vision for our health equity work is: Health outcomes for residents in Winnebago County will not be determined by social identity or socially determined group status such as, but not limited to, ability, gender identify, geography, income or race. In 2018 the team conducted a staff assessment around health equity in preparation for the development of an action plan to address the policies, practices and procedures within Winnebago County Health Department.

HealthEquityTeam_AllStaff_Combined.pptx

Policy & Advocacy

When local health officials and staff become involved in the legislative process and share their expertise and experiences with decision makers, local health departments collectively have a stronger voice to support and advance public health initiatives. In order to make these efforts more deliberate, a Policy Team was developed in 2017 to create a process for assessing, promoting, supporting and tracking health policies related to WCHD.

2018 Highlights

Some 2018 policy issues we monitored and advocated for public health considerations on:

    • Alcohol drive through, click and collect (Neenah)
    • Bike/Ped (eminent domain, bike lanes)
    • Incarceration (WC Jail Population Committee, Safe Streets, WI Healthiest State Summit Mtg)
    • Vaping
    • Sexual Health Education Curriculum (Neenah High School)
    • OASD student bussing; city council meetings, letters of support, work with after school youth programs

Transportation

As identified in the 2016 Community Health Improvement Plan, WCHD recognizes the need to improve access to opportunities that improve health outcomes. Transportation access has a big impact on a person’s ability to be healthy, get to a good-paying job, school or the grocery store, access health care services, and stay socially connected.

2018 Highlights

  • Assessed barriers to transportation to record instances when people WCHD serves experience transportation barriers.
  • Created a 1-Pager to advocate for student busing in Oshkosh
  • Winnebago Catch A Ride is a new volunteer driver program that is helping people get to work and medical appointments! To learn more view this video: