Community Epidemiology & Health Planning

Epidemiology Program Office

The Epidemiology Program Office (EPO) is responsible for assembling, analyzing and disseminating data and information about the health of CCDPH’s jurisdiction and suburban Cook County. Community Profiles, prepared for each municipality in the region, provide a snapshot of population and health outcomes. Summary tables and reports present specific details on population and socioeconomic characteristics and changes; vital statistics – birth and deaths; and a variety of health indicators– infectious diseases, chronic diseases, injury and violence, maternal and child health indicators and risk factors for disease. The EPO seeks to identify trends in the health of suburban residents and highlight disparities so as to focus public health and community action.

Our intended goal is that the information presented on this site and other data that the EPO provides will be used to guide evidence-based health planning, policy development and programming throughout the region.

Note: If you require epidemiologic information on CCDPH region other than what is available on this site you may request these data using our Data Request Application form.

Community Health Data

Health Planning Office

CCDPH realizes that it cannot work in isolation and effectively assure the health of suburban Cook County. This can only be achieved through collaboration and coordination with partners in the community. These include municipal governments, healthcare institutions and providers, schools, social service agencies, faith communities, employers, interested residents and others.

The Health Planning Office works to interface with existing community health planning efforts to foster coordination with CCDPH and other agencies in the regions. The Office also acts to convene external partners to collaboratively develop plans and initiatives which address urgent health problems.

A chief role of the office is to conduct and implement the region’s IPLAN process -- a community participatory health assessment and planning effort, that is required every five years as part of the Department’s certification with Illinois Department of Public Health. CCDPH has named its version WePLAN, to emphasize a shared effort to improve the health of the suburban community.

The Health Planning Office also examines best practices and current research to support planning for policy recommendations, grant writing and new program development. Staff interact with the local, state and national public health communities to identify new approaches to address health and societal issues affecting suburban residents.

WePLAN

WePLAN For Action is the implementation of a community health plan based on an extensive community health assessment conducted in partnership with diverse community leadership and community voices. Using a nationally recognized planning process facilitated by CCDPH, three priority health issues were identified, and community action plans were recommended. The priority health issues are:

  1. Prevention of chronic disease, with a focus on diabetes
  2. Prevention of youth violence
  3. Improving access to primary health care

WePLAN Vision Statement: "The public health system will ensure the conditions that people need collectively to be healthy in communities of suburban Cook County. To succeed in this task, people and organizations that make up the public health system will work and plan together… they will promote health and prevent illness and premature death in all communities, and especially in communities where people bear an unequal burden."

How to Get Involved
Community members are invited to:

  • Download and read the WePLAN 2010 document
  • Stay informed
    • Read about WePLAN activities in the WePLAN newsletter (below).
    • Register on the WePLAN Basecamp site, an on-line collaboration tool.
  • Attend a quarterly WePLAN forum to:
    • Participate in discussion on featured topics from guest speakers
    • Meet the people working on the Task Forces
    • Network with others interested in improving the health of Cook County communities.
  • Join one of the 3 Task Forces working on the priority health issues

Place Matters

Staff from the Office of Health Planning participate in PLACE MATTERS--- a national initiative of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Health Policy Institute. The project is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and designed to improve the health of participating communities by addressing the social conditions that lead to poor health. The Cook County project is one of 16 PLACE MATTERS Teams across the nation responsible for designing and implementing policy strategies that address the social conditions that negatively impact the health of communities. The focus of the Cook County PLACE MATTERS team is increasing access to healthy food.

For more information contact:

WePLAN Links

  • WePLAN 2010 Community Assessment and Plan
  • WePLAN 2010 Appendices
  • WePLAN for Action Newsletters:

    • Resources