The State of South Dakota has recently revitalized its State Health Improvement Plan, which was paused during the pandemic. This effort aims to better inform the state health system and improve overall public health in South Dakota. The comprehensive State Health Assessment, which covers various health fields and includes information obtained through a collection of assessment data, priority health indicator assessments, community conversations, and key informant interviews, has been published by the Department of Health.
Mariah Pokorny, the deputy division director at the Department of Health, emphasized the importance of working together and how the improvement plan supports collaborative development and implementation of community strategies based on priorities identified in the assessment. She also highlighted that this effort is aimed at making meaningful insights available to partners and programs to support data-driven efforts in South Dakota.
Health care providers on the ground were engaged with in order to gather meaningful insights about what strategies have been successful in their communities and how the state agency can continue to support their efforts with data and collaboration opportunities. The Department of Health’s website provides a link to access these documents, which serve as the backbone for informing and identifying areas of focus such as capacity building and training needs.
The collaboration between health organizations, communities, and the state health system is crucial for addressing health challenges and improving overall public health in South Dakota.
