Public Health Association of BC Public Health Association of BC

Strengthening Public Health Initiative

 

Overview

The Public Health Association of British Columbia (PHABC), in collaboration with the B.C. Ministry of Health, is leading the Strengthening Public Health Initiative (SPHI) Action Planning Project. This project aims to engage population and public health partners from across British Columbia in co-developing an action plan to advance the Province’s 2024 Population and Public Health Framework.

 

About the Framework

 

As the first phase in the Strengthening Public Health Initiative, the Ministry of Health released BC’s Population and Public Health Framework: Strengthening Public Health (the Framework) in 2024.

Developed in consultation with health authorities, Indigenous service organizations, research institutions and community partners, the renewed provincial strategy establishes a long-term vision and strategic direction for strengthening population and public health in B.C.

 

The Framework is guided by three core principles:

  1. Truth, Rights and Reconciliation:
    • Take concrete actions to dismantle Indigenous-specific racism in the population and public health system
    • Uphold Indigenous Rights and advance Truth and Reconciliation
    • Honour Indigenous knowledge and wisdom by acknowledging the interconnectedness of human health, the health of communities and the health of lands and waters
  2. Health Equity and Anti-Racism:
    • Influence the social, ecological and structural determinants of health to take action on systemic racism within population and public health and work to eliminate preventable health disparities so that no one is left behind.
  3. System Capacity
    • Strengthen the core public health functions and enabling functions that support population and public health teams to promote health and wellness, prevent disease and injury, protect health, and respond to evolving population needs, including to emerging threats.

To see the graphic below in full resolution, please click on the image or the link here.

 

Andrea Fritz (2024)

 

The Framework identifies six priority areas requiring coordinated action:

  1. Best Start in Life
    • Build foundations of good health by reducing unfair disadvantages for pregnant people, children and families.
  2. Communicable Disease Prevention and Response
    • Mitigate health and societal impacts from communicable diseases and prepare for any future pandemic.
  3. Health Impacts of Climate Change
    • Anticipate, assess, prevent and reduce the human health impacts and hazards from climate change, recognizing the interconnectedness of human health and the health of the environment
    • Support climate change adaptation, resiliency and mitigation activities that protect populations
  4. Non-Communicable Disease and Injury Prevention
    • Prevent and reduce the impacts of non-communicable disease and injury.
  5. Population Mental Health and Wellness
    • Improve the mental health and wellness of the population, including by cultivating connection to land, language, place and community.
  6. Prevention and Reduction of Substance-Related Harms
    • Prevent and reduce harms of legal and illegal psychoactive substances.

 

Strengthening Public Health Initiative Action Planning Project

The next phase of the Strengthening Public Health Initiative focuses on developing an action plan and a monitoring evaluation plan to advance and measure progress on the Framework’s priorities.

The Ministry of Health is developing an internal action plan focused on government and health system efforts, while PHABC, through this project, is leading the development of an external action plan to mobilize efforts within the academic and community sectors.

 

 

Project Goals

This project aims to strengthen public health in BC by achieving the following:

  1. Building Stronger Partnerships – Strengthen connections among health authorities, community-based organizations, Indigenous organizations, and research institutions to promote collaborative action.
  2. Aligning Population and Public Health Sector Activities with Provincial Strategy – Enhance alignment between community initiatives and provincial public health priorities to foster coordinated, effective, and inclusive responses to evolving public health needs.
  3. Improving Monitoring and Evaluation – Establish measurable targets and key indicators to assess progress and refine approaches.
  4. Supporting Community-Led Initiatives – Provide resources and funding to empower community organizations in advancing public health priorities.

 

What to Expect

This initiative will be rolled out in phases, focusing on collaborative action planning, implementing targeted actions, evaluating progress, and fostering knowledge mobilization.

Population and public health partners from diverse sectors, including health authorities, academic and research institutions, Indigenous organizations, and community-based groups will be engaged.

Partners will have opportunities to participate in virtual and in-person discussions, contribute to action planning, network with other community organizations, and access resources to support their work. Honorariums are available to support participation.

Some key activities include:

  • Establishing a population and public health sector network to facilitate ongoing engagement, collaboration and knowledge exchange.
  • Organizing virtual and/or in-person meetings and focus groups to engage in collaborative action planning, disseminate resources, and monitor progress.
  • Distributing $150,000 in grant funding to support community-driven public health initiatives.
  • Establishing an online reporting tool to collect and aggregate data to inform action planning and measure impact.
  • Developing a two-year action plan and online dashboard outlining activities, objectives, targets, and key indicators.
  • Producing an evaluation report to share progress on action plan implementation, key learnings from grant-funded initiatives, project outcomes, and insights to inform future public health efforts.
  • Hosting a one-day conference to convene partners, share progress, exchange best practices, and showcase grant-funded projects.

 

Project Timeline

To see the project timeline in full resolution, please click on the image or the link here.

 

 

 

Contact

If you have any questions about this project, please contact:

Rebekah Erickson (she/her)
Project Management Office and Quality Assurance Manager
Public Health Association of BC
rebekah.erickson@phabc.org

 

 

The Strengthening Public Health Initiative (SPHI) Action Planning Project is led by the Public Health Association of BC, in collaboration with the B.C. Ministry of Health, and is supported by the Province of British Columbia.