Projects

Building GIS Capacity in State Health Departments

Goals and Objectives
The objectives of this project are twofold:

• To build capacity for in state health departments (SHDs) to use GIS to improve heart disease and stroke prevention and treatment programs and policies.
• To develop guidelines for developing GIS capacity in SHDs across the country.

This project brings together the Children's Environmental Health Initiative (CEHI) and the SHDs for Colorado and Michigan in a collaborative partnership under the advice and guidance of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD).

Project Overview
Colorado and Michigan were competitively selected for participation in this project out of a pool of 16 applications. Selection of SHDs was based on several components including: knowledge of current GIS capacity, awareness of available data, vision, potential for collaboration, and project commitment. Special consideration was given to the potential for significant impact associated with the project.

The two selected SHDs receive a GIS needs assessment, extensive training in GIS and project development, equipment and software, and telephone-based and on-site consultation as a minimum of two GIS applications are designed, developed, and implemented. In turn, SHDs commit personnel to the project, establish hardware, software and data infrastructure, define project scope, and develop and implement GIS applications.

The lessons learned from the design and implementation of GIS projects in the two selected SHDs will form the basis for the development of a set of guidelines for integrating GIS into program and policy decisions regarding the treatment and prevention of heart disease and stroke, providing guidance to other states interested in developing similar capacity.

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