Health Planning Council Convenes Over 40 Stakeholders

Health Planning Council Convenes Over 40 Stakeholders From Across the Region to Develop First Coast Matters

May 20, 2010 – The Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida convened over 40 regional stakeholders from Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns, Putnam and Volusia counties to review the Healthy Communities Inc., web platform developed by Dr. Deryk Van Brunt from University of California- Berkley. Dr. Van Brunt, spoke to a packed Board Room at Baptist Medical Center- South and described how this living quality of life indicator, community assessment, and community change platform is used by Mayors, Chambers of Commerce, United Way, hospitals, health departments, funding institutions, local municipalities and region planning organizations across the country.

Representatives from our region’s diverse sectors including hospitals, health departments, school systems, law enforcement, funding agencies, health information technology, private foundations, civic engagement groups, regional planning organizations, human service organizations just to name a few, attended last week’s meeting to learn more abut this platform. At the end of Dr. Van Brunt’s presentation, 100% of the attendees committed to investing (at some level) to develop our very own eight county platform entitled First Coast Matters.

The Health Planning Council is especially proud to be facilitating this collaborative initiative which of course meets all of our organization’s core values:
We believe collaboration is a must at any cost: no matter how uncomfortable it is
We believe all perspectives matter
We conduct research with communities, not on or to communities
We insist on culturally sensitive and evidenced-based interventions
Behavior change begins with data

Special thanks to Baptist Medical Center- South for hosting this extraordinary meeting. To learn how you and your organization can be an investor in First Coast Matters, please contact Dawn Emerick at (904)723-2162 ext 110 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Planning meetings will begin soon to determine levels of sponsorship, identification of national, state, county and local indicators, local best practices, web design and layout, and content development.