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Del Norte Health Summit
by Luisa Buada
CIRHM Executive Director
A Health Summit was held in Del Norte County on October 1st and 2nd, 1999. The Summit was planned and sponsored by the Del Norte Health Council which is made up of representatives from Crescent City Convalescent Hospital, Del Norte Health Department, Del Norte healthcare District, Del Norte Mental Health, Del Norte Social Services, Humboldt Open Door Clinic, Sutter Coast Hospital and private physicians. The purpose of the Health Summit was to develop a Community Plan of Action for Health Improvement for Del Norte County. The community-wide town meeting was held in Crescent City and was attended over the two days by health and social service providers, employers, civic leaders and consumers. Bobbie Wunsch, Principal of Pacific Health Consulting Group and DRIS Community Systems Consultant, facilitated the strategic planning discussions with the help of CIRHM staff. Funding for the Summit came from the Del Norte healthcare District and was supplemented by financial support from the James Irvine Foundation’s DRIS Initiative.
Prior to the Summit, the Del Norte healthcare District issued a provider survey and performed key informant interviews to solicit input on how to improve the health of the community. During the Summit, participants worked to identify the one project which would have the greatest impact on all of the other issues and be feasible for the Council to accomplish in a relatively short period of time.
The Planning Committee of the Council recommended that they focus their efforts on the development of a comprehensive, single entry point information and referral system for medical and social services. It was suggested that the system might be implemented through a web-page and telephone service. This service would reduce the time spent on referral systems that are currently being duplicated now by multiple agencies. By tracking service demand, gaps in services can be documented for creating a master plan to address other community issues. The Del Norte Health Committee agreed to make this issue their priority over the next 12 months and to also pursue obtaining the necessary resources to implement the project.
© CIRHM