Plan
Questions To Ask and Answer:
- What is our goal?
- What do we need to do to reach our goal? Who will do it?
- How will we know when we have reached our goal?
A good plan includes clear objectives and concrete steps to achieve them.
The objectives you set will be specific to your issue or community; they do not
have to be exactly the same as the ones in Healthy People 2020.
Consider your intervention points
Where can you create change?
Think about how you will measure your progress.
How will you know if you are successful?
When setting objectives, remember to state exactly what is to be achieved.
What is expected to change, by how much, and by when? Make your objectives challenging,
yet realistic.
Remember: Objectives need a target. A target is the desired amount of change (reflected
by a number or percentage). A target needs a baseline (where you are now—your
first data point).
Making Connections: Achieving Healthy People 2020
Although your objectives are specific to your State or community, it’s important
to understand how they support Healthy People 2020. After all, the work you do in
your community is part of a larger movement to create a healthier Nation.
Your Objective: Reduce the annual number of new cases
of diagnosed diabetes to 8 new cases per 1,000 in Franklin County.
Baseline: 10 new cases per 1,000 population aged 18 to 65 years.
Healthy People Objective: D1: Reduce the annual number
of new cases of diagnosed diabetes in the population.
Target: 7.2 new cases per 1,000 population aged 18 to 84 years.
Baseline: 8 new cases of diabetes per 1,000 population aged 18 to 84 years occurred
in the past 12 months, as reported in 2006–08 (age adjusted to the year 2000 standard
population).
Target setting method: 10 percent improvement.
Data source: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics.
So you’ve set your objective, identified measures, set your target, and established
your baseline. Now… how will you reach your objective? You need some strategies.
Start by searching for best practices and other tested interventions. Engage coalition
members in a strategy brainstorm.
Field Notes: Rhode Island
To achieve its year 2000 objectives, the Rhode Island Department of Health initiated
the Worksite Wellness Council of Rhode Island. Rhode Island focused on increasing
health promotion and disease prevention activities in work sites, where most adults
spend the majority of their time. The State Wellness Council entered into an agreement
with the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) to make Rhode Island the first Well
State in the United States. Through this agreement, Rhode Island aims to have 20
percent of its workforce in WELCOA-certified Work Well Sites.
Other Resources:
Go to the Healthy People 2020 Planning Resources Page.
