We believe Missourians deserve better health outcomes.
MOCPHE Receives Grant
Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) has awarded MOCPHE a 3-year grant for $1,177,000 to implement strategic goals and address public health needs in Missouri, including becoming a non-profit public health institute with a statewide focus. MOCPHE will use the funds to hire staff, join the National Network for Public Health Institutes, receive technical assistance, expand a physical office, and develop an infrastructure that will allow MOCPHE to deliver service lines, partner with DHSS, support fellow associations, and hold its membership network together. It is an ambitious undertaking, but MOCPHE is ready.
MOCPHE does not take this step with any intention aside from being a more effective partner in helping Missouri move forward. The organization is building capacity to address issues and effect change where it may be needed. It will continue to focus on collaborative partnerships with other entities and collaboration with MPHA and MOALPHA. It will continue to center LPHAs in plans, communication, and support. The institute is not yet built and major decisions have yet to be made about how it will operate in the larger landscape. MOCPHE invites all partners, friends, and colleagues to participate in open communication, collaboration, and constructive dialogue about how to solve problems together.
MOCPHE Annual Report
As leaders in the field of public health, MOCPHE members have worked tirelessly during the COVID pandemic to provide guidance, develop sample policies, advocate for local public health, and provide education about proven public health prevention methods.
As a result, membership in MOCPHE has grown. New members say MOCPHE is an "inslusive group" providing "tremendous benefit," supporting "growth of our agency," and moving "forward to action."
Strategic planning and a new executive director have positioned MOCPHE to continue moving toward excellence in public health in a post-COVID pandemic culture.
Read MOCPHE's 2021 Annual Report for details on the strategic plan to transform Missouri's public health system and increase advocacy in order to help assure Missourians achieve better health outcomes.
Healthier Missouri
Missouri's grassroots initiative to transform Missouri's public health system has launched a new capacity building program for public health agencies.
The program, "An FPHS Approach to Improving Well-being for All Missourians" is based on gaps identified in Missouri's 2020 Capacity Assessment.
The capacity building program equips Missouri's public health professionals with a shared understanding of health equity and the Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) model, guides them as they operationalize the model in their work, and empowers them to implement practices and processes that will assure foundational public health services every Missourian can depend on.
Learn more at HealthierMO.org.
Rural Health Inequities
MOCPHE recently completed work with 12 local public health agenices in Missouri to increase immunization rates among BIPOC and rural adults.
Work focused on ensuring clear communication at appropriate health literacy levels, building trust, and addressing barriers to care.
Participating LPHAs improved their social media presence. They developed partnerships with local organizations to ensure consistent messaging about flu and COVID vaccinations. They also worked with specific audiences to address health inequities and barriers to receiving vaccinations.
The project was funded through a grant from the CDC Foundation.
Vaccination Best Defense
Vaccination continues to be the best defensive weapon available against COVID. To date, evidence incidates full vaccination with a booster dose offers significant protection against the Delta variant and lessens the severity of illness from the Omicron strain.
In addition, the Missouri Hospital Association reports vaccine boosters significantly decrease the risk of fatality from COVID.
Everyone six months and older is now eligible for a COVID vaccination.
All Missourians age 5 and older are eligible for a booster vaccination against COVID.
New Members
MOCPHE welcomes Carter County Health Center and Butler County Health Department as new members.
The Carter County Health Center serves rural communities in south central Misssouri. The department is led by administrator Michelle Walker with oversight from an elected Board of Directors. Their vision is to promote health, care for and protect residents in order to have a healthy community that enjoys optimal health throughout their lifespan.
The Butler County Health Department is led by administrator Emily Goodin and an elected Board of Directors. In the southeastern part of Missouri, the department focuses on core functions and the emerging role of local public health agencies in assessment and policy development.