Community Health Policy and Planning

The Office of Community Health Policy and Planning (CHPP) participates with community partners in advancing population health improvement and evaluating the impact of health issues in Peoria County. Population health planning addresses priority health needs to assure a thriving community that is inclusive and diverse to ensure health equity and provide the opportunity for well-being for all. CHPP oversees the Community Health Needs Assessment and Plan to address health priorities in Peoria County. Advocacy is a strategic approach we take to empower the community and individuals to address these identified health issues.

Our policy development and planning activities include convening community stakeholders to address emerging issues, arranging and reviewing grant opportunities with community partners, using data to drive policies that influence communities to be healthy for everyone, and advocating for position and policy statements to guide and support our mission. Our services include community outreach and health promotion through public information, media relations, marketing, community education, and presentations. Our programs reflect evidence-based projects that involve community partnerships, address health issues, and have a focus on equity for residents. Our programs, services, and strategies work in conjunction with the Community Health Improvement Plan priorities, our Peoria Health Department Strategic Plan, our Health Equity Framework with the Social Determinants of Health, and our Peoria City/County Health Department mission and vision.

Community Health Assessment & Plan targets strategies with partnering agencies that assess and plan health priorities for the Tri-county Partnership for a Healthy Community . The 2020-2022 priorities include Mental Health, Substance Use, Cancer (Breast/Lung/Colorectal), and Healthy Eating + Active Living.  

Child & Family Health  includes WIC - Women, Infants and Children - a nutrition and breastfeeding program for pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, and children up to age 5.

Illinois Tobacco-free Communities  program develops activities with our partner agencies in the Tri-county area to focus on tobacco-free policies to address health and lung cancer. Policy development includes tobacco-free multi-unit housing; tobacco-free outdoor space for campus, business, events; tobacco-free vaping and e-cigarette use, and enforcement of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act.

ISPAN - Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition  initiatives involve partner strategies for the Tri-county area to address healthy eating and fresh food access, breastfeeding promotion, and physical activity in the built community.

Edwards Settlement  is a project award for lung health from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.  Partner programs target lung health in Peoria and Tazewell counties. Activities include education on asthma and COPD, low-dose CT lung screenings, respiratory health screenings, asthma medications and toolkits placed in the schools, and home mitigation for radon and mold.

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) strategies assure health equity while advocating and empowering the community and individuals to address the underlying social issues that are the root cause of inequities in health. Activities include partnering with coalitions and community programs,  engaging the public, and leveraging resources and funds, so everyone can live the healthiest life they are able. 

Gun Violence Prevention from a public health standpoint focuses on three elements : providing data to inform action, conducting research and applying science to identify effective solutions, and promoting collaboration across multiple sectors to address the problem. Cure Violence is one assessment and program that has been shown to stop the spread of violence.