Community Matters
(Community Health Assessment & Improvement Plan)
Community Matters Assessment, Visioning and Planning for a Healthy Jefferson County:
Community Matters is a county-wide assessment and strategic planning process facilitated by the Jefferson County Department of Health.
The goal of Community Matters is to identify the county’s public health concerns, strengths and assets and collectively implement strategies to improve community health and quality of life.
Vision Statement:
“Jefferson County Alabama is an inclusive, thriving community of healthy and connected people.”
This vision statement provided focus and direction to the community health assessment process conducted with community residents and continues to support changes as local public health system partners implement strategies and tactics to improve community health.
The Community Matters process is guided by the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships
(MAPP) tool, developed by the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide the framework, structure and best practices for developing healthy communities.
Community Health Improvement Plan
Based on the findings from the Community Health Assessment for Jefferson County, Alabama, published in late 2019, five strategic issues were identified as the fundamental challenges that must be addressed to improve health and quality of life. A preliminary list of 102 potential strategic issues were reduced to 16 potential strategic issues based on community conversations, an open-ended survey and a key issue prioritization survey.
On September 11, 2019, the Community Matters Strategic Issue final review group selected the final five strategic issues that will form the framework for Jefferson County Community Health Improvement Plan 2020-2024.
Approved Strategic Issues:
- Control Gun Violence and Improve Community Safety
- Provide a Timely, Safe, Equitable and Well-Maintained Public Transportation System
- Improve Mental Health Care Access and Utilization
- Decrease Obesity
- Advance Health Equity Through Equitable Policies and Access to Resources and Services
Please find below the Jefferson County Community Health Improvement Plan 2020-2024 Work Plan.
CHIP Work Plan -
Revised June 2024
Community Health Assessment and Strategic Planning History
In 2006, Jefferson County completed the Mobilizing for Action Through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) tool with the support of Jefferson County Department of Health. After multiple stakeholder meetings and extensive community engagement, JCDH, in 2007, published
Our Community Roadmap to Health, a document outlining the goals for community health. The Jefferson County Health Action Partnership was established in 2007 to accomplish the goals outlined in Our Community Roadmap to Health. Since the Health Action Partnership’s inception nine years ago, a strong record of
collaborative achievements has been amassed.
In October 2013, the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) began preparing for the next county-wide community health assessment and strategic planning process. Building on the framework and processes developed during the initial community health assessment and strategic planning process conducted from 2005-2007, JCDH utilized the MAPP tool a second time. The title for the 2014 assessment and strategic planning process was Community Matters 20/20: Assessment, Visioning and Planning for a Healthy Jefferson County, AL. The Community Health Assessment for Jefferson County was published in August 2014 followed by the Community Health Improvement Plan for Jefferson County, Alabama and Community Health Improvement Plan for Jefferson County, Alabama Work Plan: November 2014-November 2019, published in November 2014.
Community Assessment Final Report:
Work Plan updates and Work Plan summary update reports: