State Health Improvement Process (SHIP)
Most public health progress happens locally where people live, work, learn, play, and access services. Click the map below to view county profiles, Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) information and to find out more about local health planning around the state.
The SHIP supports local action by offering local planners a model for population health planning, local data sets in six priority areas, resources for planning and action, and, through its interactive website, a series of specific tools and on-going technical assistance. The Department thanks the Maryland Hospital Association and its members for providing start-up support for local planning efforts around the state.
Health Services Cost Review Commission: Community Benefits Program
In response to the growing interest in the types and scope of community benefit services provided by Maryland Hospitals, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 15 during the 2001 Legislative Session, which created a new responsibility under the Health Services Cost Review Commission (see Health General §19-303, Maryland Annotated Code). Under the law, HSCRC is responsible for collecting hospital community benefit information from individual hospitals to compile into a publicly available statewide Community Benefit Report (CBR). This larger statewide document contains summary information as well as individual hospital reports.
HSCRC has posted the FY13 Community Benefit Report collection documents on their website for your use. At this time, the PSA document and the Deficit Assessment document are unavailable but they will be posted at a later date. The documents as well as Maryland Hospitals' Community Benefits Reports, Individual Hospitals' Narrative Reports, and Community Benefits Data Reports for FY 2004-2011 may be found by clicking here.
A key component of the SHIP is a Toolkit to support local planning and action across public and private sectors, to make progress on the SHIP’s key measures and other locally developed measures of health.
As hospitals, local health departments and other partners convene as local health improvement coalitions, the SHIP toolkit, will be a resource for planning and action. Click HERE for the Toolbox, which now includes over 100 tools for localities and is constantly growing.