The Santa Barbara County Health Department and Cottage Health are have released a new Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a long-term roadmap designed to improve the health and well-being of area residents.
This plan is the result of months of engagement and strategy development with community partners following the publication of the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment.
The CHIP outlines a shared vision and collective strategies to address four priority health areas identified by the community:
1A – Access to Care and Social Needs: Improve access to healthcare and basic needs resources, including culturally relevant providers, by eliminating barriers to care and addressing the social drivers to health.
1B – Access to Care for Children: Understand and reduce barriers parents or guardians face that prevent their child from receiving at least six well-child visits before their 15th month of life.
2 – Behavioral Health: Improve mental health across all age groups by raising awareness, enhancing screening, and providing access to prevention and treatment.
3 – Maternal Health: Increase the proportion of pregnant women who receive early and adequate prenatal care.
“Our Community Health Improvement Plan reflects the voices and experiences of our residents,” said Michelle Wehmer, senior epidemiologist at County Health. “These four areas were not just identified through data — they came directly from our community, and we’re focused on driving progress in these areas through strong collaboration.”
The CHIP provides a roadmap for coordinated action across sectors over the next three
years, focusing on sustainable, equity-centered strategies that improve health outcomes and quality of life.
Implementation is underway, with targeted trainings to support CHIP interventions and the start of work groups designed to track progress and offer partners opportunities to contribute toward each initiative.
The full 2024-2027 Community Health Improvement Plan is available to download here.