2007 MAPP Process
History
In June 2007 the Arlington County Public Health Division brought together people and organizations who make up the local public health system in Arlington to strategically approach community health improvement.
The tool used for this process, Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP), helps communities improve health and quality of life through community-wide and community-driven strategic planning. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) developed MAPP in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our goal was to identify and use resources wisely; accounting for the Arlington community’s unique circumstances and needs to form effective partnerships for strategic action.
MAPP and Partnerships for a Healthier Arlington
The MAPP process led to the formation of Partnerships for a Healthier Arlington, a community-based group that used MAPP data to identify three strategic areas in which to focus efforts to improve the community’s health.
Access to Healthcare
- Increase access to a “medical home” or a usual place of care outside of an emergency room
- Prevent development of high-risk drinking and use of drugs
- Increase access to mental health and substance abuse services
Prevention of Chronic Disease
- Reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity
- Reduce tobacco use
Prevention of Communicable Disease
- Reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections
- Increase the number of people who receive seasonal influenza vaccine annually
Phases of MAPP
Phase 1: Getting Started
Community-wide strategic planning requires a high level of commitment from partners, stakeholders, and the community residents who are recruited to participate.
Phase 2: Vision and Values
A shared vision and common values provide a framework for pursuing long-range community goals.
Phase 3: Assessments
The MAPP Process recommends and gives direction for completing four different types of assessments:
- Community health profile based on available data
- Focus groups or survey with community members to determine specific areas of priority
- Determine performance of local public health system on ten essential public health services and
- Identify potential forces or issues that might impact future public health work
Phase 4: Identifying Strategic Issues
During this phase, participants identify linkages between the MAPP assessments to determine the most critical issues that must be addressed for the community to achieve its vision.
Phase 5: Goals and Strategies
After issues have been identified, participants Formulate Goals and Strategies for addressing each issue.
Phase 6: Action Cycle
During this final phase, participants plan, implement, and evaluate. These activities build upon one another in a continuous and interactive manner and ensure continued success.
Learn more about MAPP.
Outcome
Approximately 50 members of the Arlington community came together as a MAPP Steering Committee to represent the Arlington Public Health System to create a healthier Arlington community and a better quality of life for its citizens.
Our work resulted in three important outcomes:
- Identification of three strategic areas, as well as supporting goals and actions, to improve the community’s health:
- Increase access to health care
- Prevent chronic disease
- Prevent communicable disease
- Creation and nurturing of public health system partnerships to create a healthier Arlington.
- Evolution of the MAPP Steering Committee into the Partnerships for a Healthier Arlington organization. Mission: To make Arlington a healthier place to live, work, and play. Read the Scope of Work for more details about how Partnerships for a Healthier Arlington aims to accomplish its mission.
Read the final report, Strategies for Building a Healthier Arlington, to learn more about the MAPP process in Arlington.
For general information about MAPP, visit NACCHO.
MAPP Milestones Map
Click on the milestone MAPP below to learn more about project achievements.
(JPG, 281KB)