Priorities 1 & 2: Nebraskans will have reduced heart disease, stroke and cancer mortality, morbidity and associated risk factors.
Heart disease, stroke and cancer are among the top five leading causes of death in Nebraska. They are some of the most widespread and costly health problems facing our nation and are among the most preventable. The morbidity and mortality of heart disease, stroke and cancer are caused by many factors including high risk behaviors, poor access to care, and lack of understanding of screenings. Strategies that successfully impact these three major health problems are similar, therefore SHIP Priorities 1 and 2 were combined to create a comprehensive approach capitalizing on the efforts of collaborative partnerships.
Why Is This Important?
The Community Health Hub is a framework where public health resources are passed down to the community throughout collaborative teams and activities in a structured manner that improves access to high-quality preventive screening services, enhances community linkages, and strengthens data collection and utilization.
Story Behind the Curve
Nebraska SHIP Priorities 1 & 2: Nebraskans will have reduced heart disease, stroke and cancer mortality, morbidity and associated risk factors.
For this SHIP goal, several activities were planned for implementation:
- Develop and evaluate community health hubs.
- Develop standard guidance templates for community health hubs.
- Disseminate best practices for community health hubs.
- Implement a statewide education campaign to promote health screenings at community health hubs.
How We Impact
In 2012 the DHHS Division of Public Health, Office of Women's and Men's Health initiated a Community Health Hub pilot project in six regions across the state. This SHIP objective provides for the support the the Health Hub framework designed to provide coordinated health services and screenings.
Definition
This scorecard is created to track performance, therefore the demonstration of data (numerical and narrative) describes what we define as success. In some instances, a trend may be moving in the wrong direction, but still may be within our 'Target for Success' area. The use of Color Arrows (and sometimes also Color Bands) help to define the Target for Success and Current Progress.
Green, Black and Red color arrows are used to reflect our 'Current Progress' status.
- GREEN Arrow = We're getting better!
- BLACK Arrow = We're maintaining our position.
- RED Arrow = We're going in the wrong direction.
Green, Yellow or Red color bands are used to reflect our 'Target for Success' zones.
- GREEN Color Band = We've reached our Target for Success!
- YELLOW Color Band = We're making progress, but not quite there yet.
- RED Color Band = We're below our Target for Success.
Data is described with the Time Period, Actual Value, Target Value, Current Trend and Baseline Change %. These mean:
- Time Period - The most current time period for which the data were available.
- Actual Value - The actual level of achievement, the most current data point for the indicator, also shown in a Color Band to reflect if that value is or is not within our Target for Success zone.
- Target Value - The desired level of achievement for the data indicator.
- Current Trend - The direction of progress is shown by a Color Arrow to reflect our Current Progress status, and also noting for how many data points the direction been occurring.
- Baseline Change % - The percentage of change between the baseline data point and the current data point (actual value); also shown with a Color Arrow to describe Current Progress status.
Strategy
A map of the Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Community Health Hubs among local health department districts.
Why Is This Important?
One of the recommendations made in the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding is to ensure access for breastfeeding mothers to services provided by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs). IBCLCs are healthcare professionals who specialize in the clinical management of breastfeeding; they are the only healthcare professionals with this type of certification and so far the only ones potentially reimbursable by insurers. They work with mothers to solve breastfeeding problems and educate families and healthcare professionals about the benefits of breastfeeding. One of the main barriers to increasing lactation support in this manner is the lack of reimbursement by private and public insurers. Rates of exclusive breastfeeding and of any breastfeeding are higher among women who have had babies in hospitals with IBCLCs on staff.
A statewide Breastfeeding Coalition was established in 2008 and is supported by a part-time director and leadership team, who have provided education, leadership and support for breastfeeding initiatives statewide.
Currently, there are 4.13 IBCLCs per 1000 live births in Nebraska, with a disproportionate number of these lactation professionals located in the Eastern part of the state. Increasing access to IBCLCs is a key recommendation found in the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Guide to Evidence-Based Interventions.
Story Behind the Curve
Nebraska SHIP Priorities 1 & 2: Nebraskans will have reduced heart disease, stroke and cancer mortality, morbidity and associated risk factors.
For this SHIP goal, several activities were planned for implementation:
- Provide training opportunities for lactation professionals that are designed to support IBCLC certification.
- Develop a preceptor model and preceptor sites for lactation professionals.
- Provide trainings for community health workers about lactation support services.
How We Impact
Additionally, with support from the State Health Improvement Plan, a three part webinar series was presented with speakers from the International Board of Lactation Consultation Examiners, the United States Lactation Consultant Association, The Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative, local pediatricians, IBCLC’s, and nurses.These webinars aimed to increase lactation support throughout the state and to inform potential IBCLC candidates of the different pathways available to them in pursing their certification. Research shows that adoption of the practices to encourage and support breastfeeding could result in a $51,000,000 annual reduction of healthcare costs in Nebraska if 60% of babies were fed exclusively breast milk for the first 6 months (based on Bartik & Reinhold, 2010). Savings include costs associated with NEC, otitis, gastroenteritis, hospitalization for lower respiratory infection during infancy, atopic dermatitis, SIDS, childhood leukemia, asthma, type1 diabetes and obesity.
Definition
This scorecard is created to track performance, therefore the demonstration of data (numerical and narrative) describes what we define as success. In some instances, a trend may be moving in the wrong direction, but still may be within our 'Target for Success' area. The use of Color Arrows (and sometimes also Color Bands) help to define the Target for Success and Current Progress.
Green, Black and Red color arrows are used to reflect our 'Current Progress' status.
- GREEN Arrow = We're getting better!
- BLACK Arrow = We're maintaining our position.
- RED Arrow = We're going in the wrong direction.
Green, Yellow or Red color bands are used to reflect our 'Target for Success' zones.
- GREEN Color Band = We've reached our Target for Success!
- YELLOW Color Band = We're making progress, but not quite there yet.
- RED Color Band = We're below our Target for Success.
Data is described with the Time Period, Actual Value, Target Value, Current Trend and Baseline Change %. These mean:
- Time Period - The most current time period for which the data were available.
- Actual Value - The actual level of achievement, the most current data point for the indicator; also shown in a Color Band to reflect if that value is or is not within our Target for Success zone.
- Target Value - The desired level of achievement for the data indicator.
- Current Trend - The direction of progress is shown by a Color Arrow to reflect our Current Progress status, and also noting for how many data points the direction been occurring.
- Baseline Change % - The percentage of change between the baseline data point and the current data point (actual value); also shown with a Color Arrow to describe Current Progress status.
What We Do
The Nebraska Breastfeeding Coalition has developed The Community Breastfeeding Initiative (CBI), which aims to bring breastfeeding support and resources to local communities across Nebraska willing to engage community stakeholders impacting breastfeeding support.Built off the success of the Lincoln Community Breastfeeding Initiative and pilot tested in Norfolk, the Nebraska Breastfeeding Coalition offers mini-grants and trainings to communities in need of resources, education and support to advance their community breastfeeding efforts with the goal of strengthening community breastfeeding support networks by engaging stakeholders, providing trainings and connecting local and state breastfeeding advocates.
Who We Serve
This map illustrates the gap of IBCLC support across Nebraska’s 62 birthing hospitals.
The uneven blue areas indicate the location by zip code of the IBCLC. The light blue areas indicate there is 1 IBCLC in that zip code and the darkest blue areas indicate there are 4 IBCLCs in that zip code. For some counties, Lancaster for example, you need to add the IBCLCs up for all the zip codes. There are 7 IBCLCs in Lancaster County to serve approximately 5000 births.Hall County (Grand Island) has 1 IBCLC for over 1000 births – same as Scottsbluff County. And then there is dozens of smaller hospitals with 50 – a few hundred births annually and they have no IBCLC in their counties.
The red dots are the sites of our birthing hospitals.The larger the dot, the more births occurring at that site.
Even though nearly half (48%) of the 26,000 births occur in Lancaster and Douglas Counties, there is a clear need for increased Lactation Support Providers – IBCLCs - in rural, central, north eastern and western Nebraska.
Partnerships
The Really?Really. campaign:
The Really? Really. campaign was developed through a partnership between Live Well Omaha Kids and the Nebraska Breastfeeding Coalition to increase knowledge around the importance of breastfeeding for physicians and other healthcare providers, and moms and their support network. The easy-to-understand and eye-catching materials are available for anyone to download and to date, they have been downloaded in 47 states, 9 countries and 4 tribal communities. This link contains additional information on how to obtain the material for distribution: http://www.reallyreally.org/
Why Is This Important?
Healthy and Save Community Environments is one of the strategic directions in the National Prevention Strategy. The focus of this priority is to create, sustain and recognize communities that promote health and wellness through prevention. A healthy community environment can help make the healthy choice an easy choice. Aiding community organizations to improve their capacity to identify, implement and evaluate evidence-based strategies improves the likelihood of effective health promotion activities.
According to the Association of
State and Territorial Health Officials, Evidence-based public health has been defined as “the
development, implementation, and evaluation of effective programs and policies
in public health through application of principles of scientific reasoning”.
Nebraska state and local health departments partner and collaborate with their
communities in identifying priority health concerns and issues to address. Once
these priorities are identified, evidence-based strategies are utilized to
address them.
Story Behind the Curve
Nebraska SHIP Priorities 1 & 2: Nebraskans will have reduced heart disease, stroke and cancer mortality, morbidity and associated risk factors.
For this SHIP goal, several activities were planned for implementation:
- Assess the capacity of community organizations to implement evidence-based strategies.
- Identify pooled funding models to implement evidence-based strategies.
Definition
This scorecard is created to track performance, therefore the demonstration of data (numerical and narrative) describes what we define as success. In some instances, a trend may be moving in the wrong direction, but still may be within our 'Target for Success' area. The use of Color Arrows (and sometimes also Color Bands) help to define the Target for Success and Current Progress.
Green, Black and Red color arrows are used to reflect our 'Current Progress' status.
- GREEN Arrow = We're getting better!
- BLACK Arrow = We're maintaining our position.
- RED Arrow = We're going in the wrong direction.
Green, Yellow or Red color bands are used to reflect our 'Target for Success' zones.
- GREEN Color Band = We've reached our Target for Success!
- YELLOW Color Band = We're making progress, but not quite there yet.
- RED Color Band = We're below our Target for Success.
Data is described with the Time Period, Actual Value, Target Value, Current Trend and Baseline Change %. These mean:
- Time Period - The most current time period for which the data were available.
- Actual Value - The actual level of achievement, the most current data point for the indicator; also shown in a Color Band to reflect if that value is or is not within our Target for Success zone.
- Target Value - The desired level of achievement for the data indicator.
- Current Trend - The direction of progress is shown by a Color Arrow to reflect our Current Progress status, and also noting for how many data points the direction been occurring.
- Baseline Change % - The percentage of change between the baseline data point and the current data point (actual value); also shown with a Color Arrow to describe Current Progress status
What We Do
In order to support these efforts, funding opportunities have been provided to local health departments to implement evidence-based strategies. Current Evidence-based strategies that have been implemented include: worksite wellness programming, community health worker strategies, and chronic disease self-management programs.
Why Is This Important?
For thirty years, businesses in Nebraska have been engaging in this evidence-based strategy to establish comprehensive worksite wellness efforts that help to enhance the health behaviors and reduce the burden of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and associated risk factors of all employees. The increasing cost of health insurance has reduced the profitability of businesses. To reduce the burden of higher costs and improve the health and productivity of their workers, many businesses have implemented employee wellness programs. Worksite Wellness focus on creating an organizational culture of wellness that improves productivity, changes health behaviors and reduces absenteeism. It also focuses on the implementation of policy and environmental changes that have broad impact across the worksite. Nebraska businesses have been the leaders in worksite wellness for years and have received national awards. Many businesses have been recognized by the former Governor Dave Heineman with the Nebraska Wellness Award.
Nebraskans spend an average of nearly nine hours a day at work—more awake hours than any other place. With increasing costs related to health care, workers compensation, turnover and productivity, employers are reaching for sustainable solutions to manage a growing workforce. Since employees are an organization’s greatest asset, and much of the financial burden lands on the employers, it makes good business sense to strive to develop a worksite environment that helps employees to stay or become healthy. Creating a worksite wellness program is a wise investment for the organization that will yield long-term dividends. These benefits are not only monetary but also relate to the quality of life for employees, their families, the organization and ultimately, the community.
An increase in chronic health conditions among employees can have a profound impact on the productivity and profitability of a business. However, measures that promote healthy employees can help reduce health care costs, increase productivity and decrease absenteeism, and ultimately contribute to the growth of their industry. The promotion of healthy lifestyles among employees can be achieved through implementation of policy and environmental interventions, such as improving access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities, providing a tobacco-free environment, promoting employee safety, and providing programs such as health screenings/assessments, health insurance and educational opportunities for employees.
- Twenty percent (20%) of worksites had a health promotion or wellness committee and a coordinator that was responsible for employee health promotion or wellness.
- Among health issues which employers noted as having a negative impact on the worksite, stress was listed as the top issue, affecting more than half of the worksites. The next two commonly reported issues were obesity and lack of physical activity/exercise/fitness among employees.
- Almost seventy-five percent (75%) of worksites reported in 2013 that they provided health insurance for employees and of those, more than seventy-five percent had a plan that covered general health and physical screening every year at low or no cost to the employee.
- Blood pressure checks were the most common type of screening and health assessment offered to employees in 2013 and fourteen percent (14%) of worksites had permanent on-site access for an employee to check their blood pressure.
- In 2013, slightly more than a quarter of worksites (27%) had adopted a smoke-free policy for their entire worksite campus. Among worksites which do not have an entirely smoke-free campus, seventy-one percent (71%) had restricted smoking allowing it only in certain places and just over half prohibited it within a certain distance from the entrance of the building.
- Less than twenty percent of worksites had policies or guidelines that encourage healthful food options to be served at staff meetings or company-sponsored events (19% and 17%, respectively).
- Thirty-nine percent (39%) of worksites provided a private, secure lactation room on-site that is not a bathroom and eighteen percent (18%) of worksites had a written policy supporting breastfeeding.
- Almost fifteen percent (15%) of worksites have one or more designated walking routes though only three percent (3%) utilized signage to promote the use of walking routes.
- Fifty percent (50%) of worksites had a policy that prohibited talking on cellular phones while driving a vehicle on duty, an increase from forty-two percent (42%) in 2010.
Story Behind the Curve
Nebraska SHIP Priorities 1 & 2: Nebraskans will have reduced heart disease, stroke and cancer mortality, morbidity and associated risk factors.
This SHIP goal includes several activities that were planned for implementation:
- Develop a statewide strategic approach for worksite wellness programs.
- Develop a worksite wellness toolkit and website.
- Establish a worksite wellness council that meets routinely and hosts a collective impact conference.
- Provide professional development and technical assistance opportunities for local businesses to support worksite wellness programs.
What Works
Worksite wellness in Nebraska is grounded in the evidence-based process to implement effective practices to impact the employer from a financial standpoint, improve the health outcomes of individuals and families, and create a culture of wellness within local communities. Businesses who implement the evidence-based process move through a five step approach to build support, assess the data to justify the why, plan an approach the fits the organization, implement effective practices and then evaluate the outcomes to show success.
The Nebraska Worksite Wellness Toolkit is a critical resources that was created to help guide businesses through the evidence-based process. In addition, the Toolkit helps to connect local and state-based partners and resources to assist businesses in this comprehensive approach. Through a training and technical assistance based approach, businesses will be able to create a comprehensive structure to better address chronic diseases and other health-related issues. The evidence-based approach will help to facilitate effective strategies identified through data to implement primary and secondary prevention initiatives that impact the well-being of employers and employees.
How We Impact
To carry on the tradition of effective practices to prevent and control chronic disease, the Nebraska Worksite Wellness Toolkit has been created. Its purpose is to assist businesses that are interested in promoting and implementing worksite wellness programs and policies focused on making it easier for Nebraskans to reach, maintain, and lead healthier lives. The Nebraska Worksite Wellness Toolkit provides a step-by-step process for worksite wellness designed to: build the foundation to support your program, assess needs and interests, plan the objectives you will address, implement activities and policies to help you achieve your objectives, and evaluate the effectiveness of your efforts. Following this guide will help you develop a comprehensive approach with a focus on prevention and wellness resulting in higher productivity, increased employee satisfaction, and greater control over health care costs in your organization.
Learn more at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/workplacewellnesst...
Definition
This scorecard is created to track performance, therefore the demonstration of data (numerical and narrative) describes what we define as success. In some instances, a trend may be moving in the wrong direction, but still may be within our 'Target for Success' area. The use of Color Arrows (and sometimes also Color Bands) help to define the Target for Success and Current Progress.
Green, Black and Red color arrows are used to reflect our 'Current Progress' status.
- GREEN Arrow = We're getting better!
- BLACK Arrow = We're maintaining our position.
- RED Arrow = We're going in the wrong direction.
Green, Yellow or Red color bands are used to reflect our 'Target for Success' zones.
- GREEN Color Band = We've reached our Target for Success!
- YELLOW Color Band = We're making progress, but not quite there yet.
- RED Color Band = We're below our Target for Success.
Data is described with the Time Period, Actual Value, Target Value, Current Trend and Baseline Change %. These mean:
- Time Period - The most current time period for which the data were available.
- Actual Value - The actual level of achievement, the most current data point for the indicator; also shown in a Color Band to reflect if that value is or is not within our Target for Success zone.
- Target Value - The desired level of achievement for the data indicator.
- Current Trend - The direction of progress is shown by a Color Arrow to reflect our Current Progress status, and also noting for how many data points the direction been occurring.
- Baseline Change % - The percentage of change between the baseline data point and the current data point (actual value); also shown with a Color Arrow to describe Current Progress status.
Who We Serve
Although many businesses promote employee wellness, many businesses lack a comprehensive worksite wellness program. Worksites remain one of the major areas where health promotion and disease prevention interventions can achieve widespread impact. The Nebraska Worksite Wellness Survey was conducted in 2010 to provide information on worksite wellness policies and practices being implemented in businesses across the state. A follow-up survey was sent out in 2013 to determine current worksite wellness policies and practices and also determine what changes have occurred since 2010. This information will help to identify areas of need related to developing a comprehensive worksite wellness program for Nebraska businesses. A total of 582 small businesses, 510 medium businesses and 260 large businesses participated in the 2013 survey. Respondents represent a wide variety of sectors across the state.
Partnerships
WorkWell:
WorkWell is a Nebraska Worksite Wellness Council that is a division of the Nebraska Safety Council. Their purpose is to provide wellness expertise to promote a healthy and productive workforce for their member companies.
Please visit the following website for more information on this partner - http://www.workwell.com/
WELLCOM:
WELLCOM continues its mission of elevating workplace wellness and serves hundreds of employers throughout the Midwest. We offer programs and events in Iowa and Nebraska and have a dedicated leadership team ready to help our members.
Our Mission: WELLCOM partners with employers to deliver wellness programs that impact employee wellbeing and wellness, strengthen the culture and drive business results.
Please visit the following website for more information on this partner - http://www.elevatingwellness.org/
Panhandle Worksite Wellness Council:
Panhandle Worksite Wellness Council is coordinated by Panhandle Public Health District in partnership with Scotts Bluff County Health Department. The council's mission is to build employer capacity to create a culture of wellness for employees through environmental and policy changes by providing evidence-based training, resources, and ongoing health promotion initiatives.
Please visit the following website for more information on this partner - https://panhandleworksitewellnesscouncil.wildapric...
Nebraska Office of the Governor - Governor's Wellness Award:
The Governor’s Wellness Award was created eight years ago to recognize Nebraska employers who dedicate leadership, resources and time to wellness efforts in the workplace. The Governor’s Wellness award process is a rigorous one. Each applicant must provide information in the areas of leadership support, data collection, intervention strategies, communication planning, policy support, and evaluation and health outcomes. The Governor’s Wellness Award has two categories. The Sower Award recognizes workplaces that have established quality wellness programs; the Grower Award takes it to the next level, and honors businesses and organizations demonstrating significant improvement in employee health behaviors.
Nebraska employers can apply for the Governor’s Wellness Award online at www.nebraska.gov/wellness.
Click here to learn more about the 2015 Governor Wellness Award recipients: https://governor.nebraska.gov/press/gov-ricketts-h...
Why Is This Important?
Coordinated School Health is an evidence-based strategy that aims to improve the health of children and enhance academic success through sustainable changes within schools. The Coordinated School Health framework has eight components:
- Health education
- Physical education
- Health services
- Nutrition services
- Counseling, psychological and social services
- Healthy and safe school environment
- Health promotion for staff
- Family/community involvement
The CDC has promoted the Coordinated School Health framework for the past twenty years. In Nebraska, it was recently implemented with success through the Nebraska Department of Education's Coordinated School Health Program. Although there are a multitude of partners engaging in school-based efforts, these partners need to improve their coordinated efforts to better to support the schools and communities with improved health as the main focus.
Story Behind the Curve
Nebraska SHIP Priorities 1 & 2: Nebraskans will have reduced heart disease, stroke, and cancer mortality, morbidity and associated risk factors.
For this SHIP goal, several activities were planned for implementation:
- Identify leaders of coordinated school health approach and convene to coordinate and share efforts.
- Develop and implement a plan for expanding coordinated school health across Nebraska.
Definition
This scorecard is created to track performance, therefore the demonstration of data (numerical and narrative) describes what we define as success. In some instances, a trend may be moving in the wrong direction, but still may be within our 'Target for Success' area. The use of Color Arrows (and sometimes also Color Bands) help to define the Target for Success and Current Progress.
Green, Black and Red color arrows are used to reflect our 'Current Progress' status.
- GREEN Arrow = We're getting better!
- BLACK Arrow = We're maintaining our position.
- RED Arrow = We're going in the wrong direction.
Green, Yellow or Red color bands are used to reflect our 'Target for Success' zones.
- GREEN Color Band = We've reached our Target for Success!
- YELLOW Color Band = We're making progress, but not quite there yet.
- RED Color Band = We're below our Target for Success.
Data is described with the Time Period, Actual Value, Target Value, Current Trend and Baseline Change %. These mean:
- Time Period - The most current time period for which the data were available.
- Actual Value - The actual level of achievement, the most current data point for the indicator; also shown in a Color Band to reflect if that value is or is not within our Target for Success zone.
- Target Value - The desired level of achievement for the data indicator.
- Current Trend - The direction of progress is shown by a Color Arrow to reflect our Current Progress status, and also noting for how many data points the direction been occurring.
- Baseline Change % - The percentage of change between the baseline data point and the current data point (actual value); also shown with a Color Arrow to describe Current Progress status.
What We Do
To achieve the goals of school health and maximize effectiveness and efficiency, schools should carry out the following eight strategies to implement a coordinated approach to improve school health policies and programs.
- Secure and maintain administrative support and commitment.
- Establish a school health council or team.
- Identify a school health coordinator.
- Develop a plan.
- Implement multiple strategies through multiple components.
- Focus on students.
- Address priority health-enhancing and health-risk behaviors.
- Provide professional development for staff.
Please visit the following website for more information about how schools can implement Coordinated School Health: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/cshp/schools.htm
Partnerships
To see what Nebraska is doing to improve Coordinated School Health, please visit the following website: http://www.education.ne.gov/CSH/Index.html
For more information about Coordinated School Health from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) please visit the following website: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/cshp/
The Action for Health Kids has great resources for communities and schools, and promotes the Coordinated School Health approach as an evidence based strategy: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/index.php
Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.