How Are State and Local Versions of Assessment and Planning Different?

In a nutshell, LPH Act annual reporting helps MDH monitor the health and function of the entire local govnermental public health system, the statewide health assessment presents a different spin on findings for eveyrday Minnesotans and communities, and the local public health assessment and planning cycle helps local communities monitor, plan, and envision next steps for their specific community.

• Assessment and planning: Assessment and planning can help public health departments strategize internally and externally to make the most of their efforts to keep their communities and own organizations healthy and thriving. Assessment and planning consists of a number of internal and external components, and a local health department may choose to do some or all of them. Some, like the community health assessment (CHA) and community health improvement plan (CHIP) are required by Minnesota statute, and others are simply best practices recommended by national standards and organizations. More information: Assessment and planning for local public health.
• Statewide health assessment: The statewide health assessment gives us a picture of health and well-being across the state of Minnesota and within our communities. It answers these questions: Who is healthy? Who is not? What conditions shape health for different populations in Minnesota? What do we have—and what do we need—to assure that all people in Minnesota can enjoy healthy lives and healthy communities? More information: Minnesota statewide health assessment.
• LPH Act annual reporting: Each year, Minnesota community health boards report data on programs, activities, and resources, to help monitor the health of the state-local public health partnership. This process is called LPH Act annual reporting, because it has to do with guidelines found in the Local Public Health Act, and how funding is spent from the Local Public Health Grant. LPH Act annual reporting happens in the spring of each year, and community health boards share information on their previous calendar year's activities. More information: Local public health act annual reporting.