III .
Project Goal
The ultimate goal of the project is to improve the quality of life of Polk County residents by addressing the behavioral health needs in the community . To accomplish this goal , several components need to be simultaneously achieved .
• Develop a comprehensive behavioral health strategic plan , and behavioral health system access and process mapping .
• Identify systems and resources that are valued and working well ; help determine how they may work together more efficiently .
• Identify and prioritize system gaps and community needs .
• Engage a broad set of stakeholders ; build consensus around results and actions .
• Use resources more efficiently – focus on a finite set of objectives , establish a timeline for results , and “ work with the willing ” to achieve results .
A .
Engagement of Diverse Community Sectors
A core focus of the project – especially Stage 2 and continued in Stage 3 – was to engage a highly inclusive and diverse set of community stakeholders to guide project activities and to inform project results . The Leadership Group has remained highly involved on a weekly basis or as needed to provide guidance , project insight , linkage to existing materials , problem-solving ideas , and other support . The individuals engaged in the Stage 3 activities continued to be highly diverse and to a large extent involved in the project and processes from the beginning . Generally , Stage 3 activities included reviewing both regional and national best practices , prioritizing community needs , and determining strategies to positively impact behavioral health for Polk County residents and community members .
The foundational research completed in Stage 1 and Stage 2 , as well as achievement of pre-determined goals , provided a solid basis for the Stage 3 activities that identified pathways designed to positively impact community behavioral health . For an overview of each of the three stages , refer to the section “ Review of the Three Project Stages ” on the following pages .
“ Polk County is an amazing , gifted place . Mental health and substance use issues hold us back , though . We want this project to be a road map to give us a destination , as well as a pathway to get there . Using my map analogy , we can ’ t ‘ go everywhere ’ – do everything . Yet , let ’ s find the right places to focus and work together to get there .” Polk Vision Project Leader
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