In 2012, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health conducted a State Public Health System Assessment, a Public Health System Partner Survey, and created a State Health Profile. Together, these documents will be used to identify priorities and drive our State Public Health Improvement Plan. The assessment served as one of a variety of opportunities the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health employs to better understand various aspects of the existing public health system in West Virginia.
The purpose of the West Virginia State Public Health System Assessment process was to evaluate state performance on the delivery of the ten essential public health services for the state overall. This included discussion around how data was collected and used, surveillance, informing and educating the public on health issues, partnerships and planning to improve health, enforcement and regulation of public health policy, workforce development, evaluation and research. For each of these topic areas, a SWOP analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for immediate improvement, and priorities for long term investments) was completed to identify what was being accomplished well, what is needed to deliver essential public health services and where improvements could be made for the future. A primary outcome of the assessment process was to explore and measure the capability and capacity of the West Virginia State Public Health System to respond in an effective and efficient manner to promote and protect the public’s health in the state.
To provide feedback on the State Public Health System Assessment documents, please contact:
Amanda McCarty, MS, MBA
Director, Performance Management
Bureau for Public Health Administration
Office Phone: 304.356.4082
Amanda.E.McCarty@wv.gov