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Cape Breton District

M a k i n g H e a l t h i e r C h o i c e s To g e t h e r

HEALTH AUTHORITY

Community Health Plan2014-2017

East Cape Breton County Community Health Board Central Cape Breton County Community Health BoardNorthside the Lakes Community Health Board

Victoria County Community Health BoardCentral Inverness Community Health BoardNorth Inverness Community Health Board

East Cape Breton County CHB Central Cape Breton County CHB Northside the Lakes CHB

Mary MacIsaac, ChairJackie Tobin, SecretaryBernadette JulianRaylene LangleyAdam PowerKim FudgeErin MacLean FinniganKathy Jessome

Missing from photo: Emmett O’ConnorRochelle HatcherTheresa MacNeilMargie RossPhyllis MacDougallMax SehlShirley Tobin

Susan King, ChairAmanda MacDougall, SecretaryKeith FergusonCathie PennyRod MacArthurArlene RutledgeMarie Burns

Brad NicholsonStephanie MylesElizabeth MacDonaldLouise Smith-MacDonaldMissing from photo: Linda MacDougall

Reg Johnson, ChairMaureen McKinnon, Secretary Yvonne KennedyValerie Sharpe

Jane MatlockSabrina VatcherMissing from photo: Stacey Lee

Noreen MacLean, Chair Lisa O’Neill, Secretary Betty Ann Aucoin Eleanor GillisMelissa LaradeJoelle LaradeJennifer Williatte-Battet

Marcella PoirierVeronica Poirier Missing from photo:Tina Roach Hubért ChiassonDiane Chiasson

Jay Hartman-Berrier, ChairBob Hartman-Berrier, SecretaryMary MorrisKaren HirtleKate Watts, Ex-OfficioAngela MacArthur, Ex-Officio

Ruby PyeMissing from photo:Kelly BernardCassidy BernardBetty Ann MacQuarrie

Anne Farries, ChairBenita Manzine, Secretary Heather Budge, Ex-OfficioDiane GrantMerrill MacInnisNancy SmithMissing from photo:Laura Dixon

Jennifer MacAulayErnie MacAulayBarbara WeinbergPriscilla GoogooStephanie BeatonWayne BudgeJohn Buchanan

Victoria County CHB Central Inverness CHB North Inverness CHB

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Message from the CHBsEveryone benefited from having a conversation about healthy communities. Participants in the focus groups found out what information was available in their communities, made new networks, and became more aware of the health and wellness issues and assets in their community.

We are pleased to share the 2014-2017 Community Health Board Community Health Plan. The Plan includes the results of our community engagement process that took place in early 2014 with residents of the six Community Health Boards (CHBs) within the Cape Breton District Health Authority. While CHBs across the province are mandated to complete a Community Health Plan as per their duties within the Health Authorities Act, we feel that this project represents much more than a mandated responsibility. It provided an opportunity to increase awareness of the six CHBs within the District’s catchment and to connect with community members both in person via community conversations and by phone via telephone surveys. It provided a deeper understanding of what the communities view as the most pressing issues around the social determinants of health, and it further enhanced the partnership between the CHBs and the District.

This report represents the outcome of two years of planning that began in October 2012 with the Population Health Day event on community engagement. During that time, we embraced the concept of a collaborative plan. Recommendations to the District would be put forward by all six CHBs as a collective, with each individual CHB developing actions that they would

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Quick facts about CHBs

Community Health Boards:

• Are considered by Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness to be the eyes, ears and voice of local communities on health and wellness issues.

• Can be an advocate in addressing health and wellness related concerns in your community.

• Provide grants to community groups to support their health and wellness promotional efforts.

Marcella PoirierVeronica Poirier Missing from photo:Tina Roach Hubért ChiassonDiane Chiasson

Debbie Martell,Community Health Coordinator

undertake in their individual catchment areas. We explored the Community Health Plans that were developed by CHBs across the province and learned more about community engagement techniques and data sources that were available. We developed an engagement strategy that included both in-person community conversations and telephone surveys to reach residents of each of the six CHB catchments. We braved the harsh winter of 2014 to complete the engagement sessions. Finally, we learned the results of the consultations and decided on the six priority areas that would form the basis of both our recommendations to the District as well as our own individual CHB actions. This will focus our work for the next three years.

We are excited to share the results and look forward to continuing the conversation about the work that has been done and what needs to be done next to ensure the wellness of our communities.

East Cape Breton County CHB Central Cape Breton County CHBNorthside the Lakes CHBVictoria County CHBCentral Inverness CHBNorth Inverness CHB

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Acknowledgments

We hope you enjoy our first collaborative Community Health Plan. The Plan was created by the six CHBs – East and Central Cape Breton County, Northside the Lakes, Victoria County, and North and Central Inverness, with input from the staff of Community Health. Many people played a role in the creation of the plan.

Thank you to the six CHBs as well as Community Health staff - Anne Breski, Aron Ashton, Benita Manzine, Cheryl Marinelli, Christina Lavery, Debbie Martell, Heather Budge, Joyce Hooper, Kathy Bell, Lindsay Peach, Melanie Robinson, Melissa Lee Ross, and Natalie Oake. Thank you also to those who participated in the 33 community conversations and 600 telephone surveys which formed the basis of the Community Health Plan.

Our community conversations were a great success thanks to the CHBs’ organizational skills, the group facilitators, and our diverse community partners such as schools, seniors clubs, First Nations and Francophone communities. We were awed by the enthusiasm, creativity, and richness of the information coming forth from the communities. This Community Health Plan would not have been possible without the valuable input of everyone who participated.

For more information on your local CHBs visit us at www.cbdha.nshealth.ca/CHB

An electronic copy of this report is available online at www.cbdha.nshealth.ca/populationhealth

Print copies are available by contacting:

Benita ManzinePopulation Health and Research 235 Townsend StreetSydney, NS, B1P 5E7 902-563-1833 [email protected]

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Table of Contents

OUR COLLABORATIVE HEALTH PLANNING JOURNEY

WHO WE ENGAGED

CHB HEALTH PLANNING FRAMEWORK

PRIORITY AREAS

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DISTRICT

EAST CAPE BRETON COUNTY CHB

CENTRAL CAPE BRETON COUNTY CHB

NORTHSIDE THE LAKES CHB

VICTORIA COUNTY CHB

CENTRAL INVERNESS CHB

NORTH INVERNESS CHB

OUR JOURNEY CONTINUES

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7

8

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10

12

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14

15

16

17

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CHB ACTIONS

CHB BOUNDARIES 19

PARTNERSHIPS & SOCIAL COHESION

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

PROMOTION OF HEALTHY LIVING & HEALTH SERVICES

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

COMMUNITY HEALTH BOARD PROFILE \ AWARENESS

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Our Collaborative Health Planning Journey

One of the most important roles of the CHBs is to seek and collect information from their community on local health needs and recommend ways to address them. Through our community conversations, the information we heard formed this Community Health Plan.

This plan will help the District to better understand the health needs and challenges in a community. It will also support the District’s overall business planning, program planning, and Strategic Directions.

This year, each CHB developed their own actions to address their community’s health needs at the local level.

Community conversations took place between January 9, 2014 and April 28, 2014.

Telephone surveys took place between February 24, 2014 and March 31, 2014.

Each CHB aimed to host a total of 4-6 community conversations.

we did this work

we engaged

we engaged

we engagedWhy

When

Who

How

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By holding 33 community conversations, and 600 telephone surveys we listened to seniors, grant recipients, community leaders, youth and the general public.

Particular groups of interest included: youth, seniors, community leaders, First Nation communities, and Francophone communities.

For a more detailed look at who we engaged with, please refer to the graph on the following page.

The community conversations were held in community halls, centres, and schools. We invited participants through invitations, newspaper ads, social media, and news releases.

The telephone survey reached a large audience and was designed to capture the demographics of each CHB catchment area. Participants were randomly selected to ensure there was a representative picture of each CHB.

All participants were asked the same six questions at the community conversations. The survey participants were asked the same two questions.

Comments were placed into common themes. These themes fall under the Social Determinants of Health, which are the conditions in which people live, work, and play.

1. What does a healthy community mean to you?

2. What do you see as the issues/ challenges affecting the health of your community?

3. Where should we focus our energy?

4. Who do you think needs our help and why?

5. What kinds of things are you/your organization/your community doing to promote health and wellness?

6. What are your ideas for solutions/ partnerships?

Focus Group Questions

Who We Engaged

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SEXFemaleMaleNot Specified

AGE CATEGORY (years)15 - 1718 - 3940 - 5960 +Not Specified

EDUCATION҂+No post-secondary Post-secondaryNot Specified

INCOME CATEGORY*+LowMiddle and highNot Specified

13% 18% 20%62% 51% 80%25% 31%

66%8% 0%

29% 48% 34%63% 52%

3% 0%42% 40% 32%18% 35% 36%6% 25% 27%

31% Not surveyed 5%

2% 0%

Characteristic

31% 48% 47%67% 52% 53%

In total, we heard from 1,179 people.

All Six CHBs

% of people % of people % of people

Community Conversations Telephone Surveys

TOTAL Population

҂ Post-secondary education includes certificate, diploma, and degree programs.* Income category is based on household size and total household income.

+ The 15-17 year age group is excluded from the education and income category calculations.

Low: Middle and High:1 or 2 people < $20, 000 3 or 4 people < $40, 000 > 5 people < $60, 000

1 or 2 people > $20, 000 3 or 4 people > $40, 000 > 5 people > $60, 000

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CHB Health Planning FrameworkBelow you will find the four steps we used to develop recommendations to the District and our own individual CHB actions.

Priority Areas• Community members often felt that existing organizations are not open and welcoming of new ideas.

• Existing and newly formed organizations are often unaware of similar work that is being done, resulting in duplication of efforts.

• Community members also felt that individuals and organizations from different fields of work did not connect with each other to take advantage of synergies.

• Community members are striving to be more physically active. They acknowledge that community facilities and community groups play an important role in creating a supportive environment.

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4Priority Areas Community Conversations Recommendations to District CHB Actions

Pages 10-11Pages 8-9 Pages 12-17Page 6-7

Community conversations and telephone surveys engaged the community on their health and wellness needs.

From the most frequent themes, each CHB identified two priorities and their own actions to addess at the local level.

For every priority the CHBs identified recommendations that the District should focus on.

Top six priority areas were selected based on the most frequent themes that were collected.

Physical Activity

This refers to all forms of physical activity. It can

include things like walking, skating, and tobogganing.

Partnerships & Social Cohesion

This refers to how individuals and groups work together. It also includes how individuals

and groups support and interact with each other in

their jobs and outside of their jobs.

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• Community members want to know about the programs and services targeted at healthy living that are available in their communities.

• Community members also want to receive consistent, easy to understand messages.

• Community members would like facilities to be available/open for community use.

• Community members would also like the use of the facilities to be affordable.

• Community members are concerned about individuals having to find off-island employment.

• High unemployment rate was also raised as an issue.

• Community members expressed a concern over existing businesses struggling and having to close.

• Community members highlighted the need for improved supports for parents. Specifically, parents could benefit from food preparation skills and how to help their children with decision-making.

• Community members expressed frustration over not having information in a central, easy to access location.

An additional learning from this community engagement work is that increased awareness of the CHBs is required.

This refers to community buildings and community outdoor spaces. Buildings

can include churches, rinks, and halls. Outdoor spaces can include baseball fields, playgrounds, and walking

trails.

Community Facilities

Promotion of Healthy Living & Health

ServicesThis refers to the messages

people receive from health care professionals

and the media about making healthy choices. This includes things like eating healthy, exercising

regularly, and getting enough sleep.

Employment Status

This describes people’s employment. It includes

people with full-time or part-time work, people who work seasonally, people who work

off-island, and people who do not have a job.

This describes the information and skills that people feel help

them in their daily lives, outside of their jobs. It includes things

like knowing what is taking place is one’s community. It is a sense of feeling ‘in-the-know’ about one’s community. It also

includes things like having a variety of life skills such as being

a good listener and good communicator.

Knowledge & Skills

Awareness of CHBs

Recommendations to the District from the CHBs

• Improve communication both internally - within individual CHBs, with other CHBs, and with District, and externally - in CHB communities and across the province. The use of social media is strongly encouraged as a way to engage our youth, whose voices are often not heard in community discussions. • Develop and foster a closer involvement with the Cape Breton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and Community Sector Council Nova Scotia.• Advertise and promote use of 211 Nova Scotia.• Include all residents in its consultations and program and service planning efforts. • Create a framework to identify potential relevant partnerships and stakeholders that includes an asset identification process and a mechanism for engaging them without duplication of services. • Develop a partnership inventory of existing formal and informal partnerships.

• Work in partnership with 211 Nova Scotia to build its capacity and promote its existence and use in all areas of the District as a powerful information tool for both the public and community groups and organizations. • Expand the monthly Population Health article that currently appears in the Cape Breton Post to the Victoria Standard, Inverness Oran and New Waterford Press and expand to the Chronicle Herald once the article is established in all local newspapers.• Promote and/or showcase the work of community partners, including “bulletin boards” in each of the District’s facilities highlighting community programs that focus on health and wellness.


Physical Activity

Promotion of Healthy Living & Health Services

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• Ensure the current level of funding for the CHB operating budgets and Communities in Motion grants is considered through the provincial District Health Authority transition process.• Advocate for the continued level of funding for the provincial Wellness Initiative Fund.• Support increases to the Wellness and Communities in Motion grant funds based on community need and as a means of supporting community level physical activity programs. • Ensure promotion of physical activity is a priority and all departments in all of the geographic areas are supported in promoting physical activity among patients, clients and staff.

Partnerships & Social Cohesion• Support the development of a comprehensive inventory of all existing service organizations’ facilities that are available for use.• Support creation of an inventory of health and wellness activities and programs being offered in these facilities. • Share the information in this inventory with 211 Nova Scotia for wide distribution.

• Create links between the District, government, educational institutions and entrepreneurs/businesses to assist in economic growth opportunities with an emphasis on the social determinants of health.

• Enhance District wide public access to information about its programs and services that are available.

• Save, share, analyze and use the community data that informed the CHB Community Health Plan.• Enhance understanding of its communities and how the CHBs and the District play a role in supporting additional priorities and needs of demographic sectors that will be revealed through further analysis of the data that informed the CHB Community Health Plan.• Create reports with the community data upon request with the help of the Community Health Epidemiologist.

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Employment Status

Knowledge & Skills

Community Health Board Profile/Awareness

East Cape Breton County Community Health Board The East Cape Breton County CHB is comprised of the following communities:

Birch Grove-Tower Road, Dominion, Donkin-Port Caledonia, Gardiner Mines, Glace Bay, Lingan-River Ryan and Area, New Victoria-Victoria Mines, New Waterford, Port Morien, Reserve Mines, Round Island-Black Brook and area

CONTACTFor more information or to join the ECBC CHB please call 902-794-8942 or visit www.cbdha.nshealth.ca/CHB


• Work with the local community to provide early childhood reading opportunities for families with preschool children.


• Sponsor weekly community walks at the BAYplex Centre beginning in the Fall of 2014 to use existing facilities; and encourage our citizens to “move more without cost implications”.

In East Cape Breton County CHB, we heard from a total of

298 people.

We have committed to the following actions based on our priority areas:

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Central Cape Breton County Community Health BoardCentral Cape Breton County CHB is comprised of the following communities:

Albert Bridge, Big Ridge-French Road, Coxheath, Dutch Brook-Caribou Marsh, East Bay Area, Grand Lake Road, Grand Mira North, Grand Mira South, Greater Gabarus, Howie Centre, Lingan Road, Louisbourg, Marion Bridge, Membertou First Nation, Mira Gut-Lorraine and Area, Mira Road, Prime Brook, South Bar, Sydney, Sydney Forks, Portage, Sydney River, Westmount

CONTACTFor more information or to join the CCBC CHB please call 902-794-8942 or visit www.cbdha.nshealth.ca/CHB


• Inform ourselves so we can inform others on community resources such as the Community Sector Council of NS, Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, the District’s Your Way to Wellness program, and 211 Nova Scotia.

Physical Activity

• Promote an understanding of the link between physical activity, determinants of health and chronic disease by sponsoring and promoting events and opportunities that speak to one or more of these issues.

In Central Cape Breton County CHB, we heard from a total of

347 people.


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Northside the Lakes Community Health Board The Northside the Lakes CHB is comprised of the following communities:

Blacketts Lake, Boisdale-Castle Bay and Area, Boularderie Island, Eskasoni First Nation, Florence-Bras D’Or, Frenchvale-Beechmont and Area, Georges River and Area, North Sydney, Northside East Bay-Islandview, Point Edward Peninsula, Sydney Mines, Upper North Sydney-Leitches Creek and area

CONTACTFor more information or to join the NTL CHB please call 902-794-8942 or visit www.cbdha.nshealth.ca/CHB

In Northside the Lakes CHB, we heard from a total of 173

people.


Healthy Eating

• Continue working with local area food banks to promote donations of healthy, convenient food options.

Civic Participation/Volunteerism

• Promote and raise awareness of the importance of volunteerism by hosting a guest speaker about the issue.

• Sponsor CHB attendance at workshops and training events to assist with promotion, recruitment, access and mobilization of volunteers.

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Victoria County Community Health BoardVictoria County CHB is comprised of the following communities:

Bay St. Lawrence, Cape North, Dingwall, Neil’s Harbour, Ingonish, Englishtown, Baddeck, St. Ann’s Bay area,Wagmatcook, Washabuck,Iona


• Explore potential of developing a senior-youth hotline that matches seniors to youth volunteers for support services.

• Continue to support and expand seniors’ luncheons throughout the CHB catchment as an educational and social opportunity.

Food

• Promote the development of community food gardens within our CHB catchment.

CONTACTFor more information or to join the VC CHB please write to us at PO Box 812, Baddeck, NS, B0E 1B0 or email [email protected]

In Victoria County CHB, we heard from a total of 135

people.


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Central Inverness Community Health Board Central Inverness CHB is comprised of the following communities:

Inverness, Mabou, Margaree, Port Hood, Waycobah First Nation, Whycocomagh

CONTACTFor more information or to join the CI CHC please contact Jay Hartman-Berrier [email protected]

Physical Activity

• Work with local community partners to train youth to become physical activity leaders and champions.

• Promote and encourage use of community trails available within the CHB catchment including supporting the TransCanada trail 2017 initiative (for Canada’s 250th birthday).


• Sponsor a community health and wellness fair to raise awareness of health services available to the community.

In Central Inverness CHB, we heard from a total of 122

people.


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North Inverness Community Health BoardNorth Inverness CHB is comprised of the following communities:

North of Doyle’s Bridge, Belle Cote, Cap le Moine, St. Joseph de Moine, Cheticamp, Grand Etang, Petit Etang, Pleasant Bay, Meat Cove


• Focus on engagement with community experts to deliver information sessions and educational opportunities around priority areas identified in the Community Health Plan.


• Promote community based opportunities for healthy eating and exercise.

CONTACTFor more information or to join the NI CHB please call 902-794-8942 or visit www.cbdha.nshealth.ca/CHB

In North Inverness CHB, we heard from a total of 104

people.


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Everyone benefited from having a conversation about healthy communities. Participants reported finding out what information was available, making new networks and gaining an awareness of health and wellness issues and assets in their community. The CHBs experienced a strengthened connection with the communities they serve and a meaningful opportunity to collaborate with the staff of Community Health. The outreach process itself put a much needed public face on CHBs.

The community spoke and the CHBs listened. The next step is to harness that energy, enthusiasm, and valuable information that came from the community conversations and telephone interviews by continuing to map out actions on our priorities that are so important to us. CHBs, District staff and our community partners are all stakeholders in this process. We know this same spirit of collaboration that led to the creation of this plan will continue to help us improve the health and wellness of our communities.

Quick facts about CHBs

Community Health Boards:

• Help identify health priorities and provide advice to health authorities.

• Are a network of 37 volunteer boards across the province.

• Meet once a month from September to June; adhoc as needed. Meetings are open to public participation and board members want to hear from you.

• Seek new members on a regular basis.

• Contact your CHB if you are interested in becoming a member.

Our Journey Continues....

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CHB Boundaries

NorthInverness

CentralInverness

VictoriaCounty

CentralCape BretonCounty

EastCape BretonCounty

Northside the Lakes

“We are the eyes, ears and voice of local communities on health and wellness issues.”

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