IDPH Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan

2020

Illinois Department of Public Health

November 2020-2025

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IDPH Strategic Plan  
 
Contents 
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 3 
Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................... 6 
Strategic Planning Committee .................................................................................................. 6 
IDPH Team and Partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago Policy, Practice and Prevention 
Research Center and the Illinois Public Health Institute................................................................ 7 
IDPH Team......................................................................................................................... 7 
University of Illinois Chicago Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center ............................. 7 
Illinois Public Health Institute ............................................................................................... 7 
Strategic Planning Process........................................................................................................... 7 
Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 7 
IDPH Overview....................................................................................................................... 8 
Data Inputs and Methods for the Environmental Scan ................................................................. 9 
Surveys ............................................................................................................................. 9 
Five Focus Groups ..............................................................................................................12 
Supplemental Data Sources .................................................................................................12 
Strategic Planning Committee Meetings................................................................................13 
Strategic Planning Committee Implementation Meetings ........................................................14 
IDPH Mission, Vision, and Values.................................................................................................15 
Process of Revising the IDPH Mission, Vision, and Values ............................................................15 
Mission ................................................................................................................................15 
Vision ..................................................................................................................................16 
Values and Guiding Principles..................................................................................................17 
SWOT Analysis .........................................................................................................................18 
SWOT ..................................................................................................................................19 
Strategic Priorities ....................................................................................................................21 
Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity.........................................................21 
Enhancing Data Gathering, Dissemination and Actionability ........................................................22 
Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness ..................................................23 
Increasing Organizational and Community Resilience and Preparedness........................................23 

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Improving Communication, Collaboration, and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the Public .24 
Strengthening, Supporting and Developing the IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce................25 
Action Plans .............................................................................................................................26 
Next Steps ...............................................................................................................................42 
Appendix .................................................................................................................................43 
Mission, Vision, and Values .....................................................................................................43

Ngozi Ezike, MD

Director

Executive Summary

In 2020, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) participated in a strategic planning process to

inform its priorities over the next five years. The process was guided by stakeholder and staff input to

assess the current state and future of the Department, and resulted in an update to the IDPH mission,

vision, and values, and identification of six strategic priorities along with SMART goals and objectives.

The priorities, goals, and objectives, with time-framed targets, will be utilized to guide and support the

Department and community improvements over the next five years. Figure 1 defines the six strategic

issues prioritized by the Strategic Planning Committee, which included leadership from across the

Department. The strategic issues addressed were identified by analyzing data collected and compiled

and exploring IDPH’s cross-cutting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

IDPH also updated its mission, vision, and value statements as part of the strategic planning process. The

Strategic Planning Committee solicited input on the current mission, vision and values, and potential

improvements through a survey of IDPH staff, members of the State Board of Health, and

representatives from the Office of the Governor. The following mission, vision, and value statements

were approved, and an extensive draft and revision process was led by the Strategic Planning

Committee.

Figure 1. IDPH Strategic Priorities

Figure 2. IDPH Mission and Vision.

Values and Guiding Principles

Health Equity: We believe that achieving optimal health for everyone is rooted in reducing and

removing social, environmental, economic, and structural barriers to health, such as racism and

other forms of inequity.

Integrity: We believe that the foundation of public health is trust, and that we must always act

with the highest standards of honesty, trustworthiness, and transparency.

Science and Data: We believe that our decisions, policies, and programs must be driven by

science, the most reliable public health expertise, and timely data.

Preparedness: We believe we must be prepared to address emerging issues and health

emergencies and maintain flexibility to respond quickly and effectively.

Collaboration: We believe that we are most effective in achieving our health goals when we

value the contributions of our diverse employees and partners; collaborate with stakeholders,

communities, and other state agencies; and foster a culture of inclusivity.

Communication: We believe that communication is a multi-dimensional process and to enhance

public health we must provide accurate, evidence-based, actionable, and timely information

that is informed by community needs, builds public confidence, and increases public knowledge

and healthy behaviors.

Figure 3. IDPH Values and Guiding Principles.

IDPH will utilize the Strategic Plan to guide its work over the next five years in alignment with updated

mission, vision, and value statements. To further guide the work over the next five years, the Strategic

Planning Committee developed goals and measurable objectives for each priority strategic issue. The

following summarizes these goals. (*) Identifies goals linked to the State Health Improvement Plan. See

also Action Plans highlighted on page 27-40.

Reducing and Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing*

Goal 1: IDPH’s culture celebrates diversity, reflects the Department’s health equity mission, and ensures

that staff are welcomed, respected, and valued for their contributions and ideas.

Goal 2: All IDPH programs are delivered with health equity priority and lens.

Enhancing Data Gathering, Dissemination, and Actionability*

Goal 1: Establish strong internal data science, surveillance, epidemiology, and statistical analysis capacity.

Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness

Goal 1: IDPH staff members understand the work of IDPH and the role they play.

Increasing the Organizational and Community Resilience and Preparedness*

Goal 1: Demonstrate internal capacity in public health preparedness and response while maintaining (to

effectively prevent illness, mitigate threats/hazards, and respond to public health emergencies) continuity

of operations by December 31, 2021.

Improving Communication, Collaboration, and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the Public*

Goal 1: IDPH is viewed as a trusted, reliable, and credible public health resource and subject-matter expert.

Goal 2: A coordinated public health communication system across Illinois with accurate, aligned, and timely

public health information exchange.

Strengthening, Supporting, and Developing the IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce*

Goal 1: IDPH has a well-developed workforce with a culture of continuous learning, opportunities for

advancement and development in a supportive environment.

Goal 2: IDPH is an active partner and leader in developing the future public health system’s workforce.

Acknowledgements

Strategic Planning Committee

In August 2020, Dr. Ezike appointed 27 individuals from various IDPH offices, the Illinois State Board of

Health, and the Office of the Governor as members of the Strategic Planning Committee. The committee

was tasked with championing the strategic planning process and helping to engage and to educate staff

on the process and importance of the plan’s implementation. The committee held five planning

meetings and three implementation planning meetings to draft and to finalize the IDPH’s strategic plan

priorities for the next five years.

Nelson Agbodo

Acting Chief, Division of Health

Data and Policy

Lori Koch

Registry Director, Illinois State Cancer

Registry

Sylvia Riperton-Lewis

Deputy Director, Office of

Performance Management

Juana Ballesteros

Manager, Community Public

Health

Brandy Lane

Interim Deputy Director, Office of

Health Protection

Lauri M. Sanders

Deputy Director for

Communications

Karyn L. Bass Ehler

Chief General Counsel

Daniel Levad

Acting Deputy Director, Office of

Health Care Regulation

Tiefu Shen

Deputy Director, Office of Policy,

Planning, and Statistics

Jennifer Epstein

Director of Strategic Health

Initiatives

Shannon Lightner

Deputy Director, Office of Women’s

Health and Family Services

Emily Siefken Schoch

Performance Management

Specialist

Andrew Friend

Deputy Director, Office of

Preparedness and Response

Candice M. Long

Chief Internal Auditor

Mark B. Stevens

Regional Health Officer, Marion

Omayra Giachello

Regional Health Officer, Bellwood

and West Chicago

Karen Mancera-Cuevas

Deputy Director, Office of Health

Promotion

Martin V. Torres

Senior Policy Advisor, Office of

Governor JB Pritzker

Marilyn Green

Regional Health Officer,

Edwardsville

Michael McCarten

Deputy Director, Office of Information

Technology

Robin Tucker

Deputy Director, Office of Human

Resources

Veronica Halloway

Health Equity Chief

Joanne Olson

Deputy Chief of Staff

Laura C. Vaught

Director of Legislative Affairs

Mark Hunter

Regional Health Officer, Rockford

Karen Phelan

Board of Health Chairwoman

Vicki Wilson

Deputy Director, Office of Finance

and Administration and Chief

Financial Officer

Susan Ramsey

IDPH Consultant

IDPH Team and Partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago Policy, Practice and

Prevention Research Center and the Illinois Public Health Institute

IDPH engaged the University of Illinois Chicago Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center (P3RC),

which subcontracted with the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI), to form a partnership to lead the

process. The three institutions established an internal planning team that met weekly to review progress

and timelines and solicit feedback on draft documents, tools, and data. IPHI and P3RC also met weekly

and codeveloped the data collection instruments and worked together on data analysis and

presentation. IPHI designed the strategic planning process, meeting agendas and materials, and

facilitated the Strategic Planning Committee.

IDPH Team

Nelson Agbodo, Acting Chief, Division of Health Data and Policy, Office of Policy, Planning, and Statistics

Jennifer Epstein, Director of Strategic Health Initiatives

Patrick Harper, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epidemiology Assignee, Division of Chronic

Disease, Office of Health Promotion

Sylvia Riperton-Lewis, Deputy Director, Office of Performance Management

Amaal Tokars, Assistant Director

University of Illinois Chicago Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center

Guddi Kapadia, Assistant Director, Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center

Yadira Herrera, Research Assistant, Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center

Steve Seweryn, Associate Director, Clinical Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division

Amber Uskali, Assistant Director, Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center

Christina Welter, Director, Associate Professor, Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center

Illinois Public Health Institute

Elissa Bassler, Chief Executive Officer

Laurie Call, Director, Center for Community Capacity Development

Sydney Edmond, Program Manager, Center for Community Capacity Development

Samantha Lasky, Program Associate, Center for Community Capacity Development

Rebekah Williams, Program Manager, Center for Community Capacity Development

Strategic Planning Process

Purpose

An organizational strategic plan should use data, including staff and stakeholder input, to inform

priorities and plans to improve the organization and the community or jurisdiction. The strategic plan

should be used to guide related decision making, resource allocation, policy alignment, and new or

enhanced partnerships. Ultimately, the end result of this work should be the development of

meaningful, actionable plans that the organization is committed to implementing to advance the

mission and vision.

Strategic planning generally includes a few key components, including developing or updating an

organization’s mission, vision, and values; conducting an environmental scan, including collecting

primary data and information from staff and/or external stakeholders; analyzing the results of the scan

and data collection, which frequently involves a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and

threats) analysis; identifying and prioritizing strategic issues; and developing, implementing, and

monitoring the plan. The components are not necessarily linear and may take on a variety of forms. The

IDPH strategic planning process was conducted virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mostly, the

environmental scan was conducted prior to convening the Strategic Planning Committee and finalizing

an update of the mission, vision, and values. This was done to be as efficient as possible with IDPH staff

and stakeholders involved in the process.

IDPH Overview

One of the state’s oldest agencies, first established in 1877, IDPH now maintains an annual budget of

more than $600 million in state and federal funds with headquarters in Springfield and Chicago, seven

regional offices, three laboratories, and more than 1,100 employees. IDPH has 200 different programs

that benefit all Illinois residents and visitors while maintaining the public’s health.

Every five years, IDPH

participates in a strategic planning process to guide its work and action.

Beginning in August 2020, IDPH engaged in a strategic planning process to guide the Department

priorities over the next five years and finalize a strategic plan in accordance with the Public Health

Accreditation Board (PHAB) requirements (PHAB Standard 5.3). According to PHAB, a strategic plan

results from a deliberate decision-making process and defines where an organization is going. The plan

sets the direction for the organization and, through a common understanding of the mission, vision,

goals, and objectives, provides a template for all employees and stakeholders to make decisions that

move the organization forward.

About IDPH. IDPH Website (2020). https://www.dph.illinois.gov/about-idph

Swayne, Duncan, and Ginter. Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations. Jossey Bass. New Jersey. 2008.

(PHAB Glossary)

Figure 4. Strategic Planning Process.

The plan and process must consider:

• Agency infrastructure and capacity required for efficiency and effectiveness.

o Information management

o Communication (including branding)

o Workforce development

o Financial stability

o Identification of changing or emerging trends

o How the strategic plan links to the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, IDPH still recognized the need for an updated Strategic Plan to

continue to move forward with its work and commitment to the health of all Illinoisans by being guided

by a strategic vision. IDPH sought to focus on the improvement, growth, and development of the

Department and the state public health system as well as the health and health equity of the

communities it serves. Due to those commitments, a strategic planning process was a vital next step.

Data Inputs and Methods for the Environmental Scan

To inform the strategic planning process, several different types of data were collected and reviewed,

including the following: Healthy Illinois 2021 State Health Assessment (SHA) and SHIP, an IDPH staff and

State Board of Health (SBOH) survey, a stakeholder survey administered to local health departments

(LHDs), five stakeholder focus groups, an IDPH financial analysis, performance and outcome data, and

workforce development and performance management assessment results. These methods and data

inputs were utilized throughout the processes of revising the IDPH mission, vision, and values,

conducting the SWOT analysis, and developing the strategic priorities and action plans.

Surveys

The Planning Team developed and conducted two surveys to gather insights from:

1. IDPH staff and SBOH

2. LHD staff throughout Illinois.

Both surveys were codeveloped by P3RC and IPHI and were conducted using online survey platforms.

The LHD stakeholder survey was administered through Survey Gizmo and the IDPH staff and SBOH

survey was administered through Survey Monkey, a platform that was more accessible for IDPH

systems. In September 2020, both surveys were disseminated via email to the target audiences.

The primary purpose of the stakeholder survey was to inform the Healthy Illinois 2021 SHA/SHIP update

and priorities for the state public health system over the next 18 months. As such, many survey

questions focused on past and emerging priorities and the capacities and capabilities of the Illinois

public health system. Additional questions were asked to specifically inform the Strategic Plan.

Questions aimed at informing the Strategic Plan were developed:

• to understand LHD perspectives on IDPH strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats;

• to assess COVID-19 response actions to date and to gather perspectives on ways to improve the

response going forward; and

• to assess anti-racism priorities and status.

Additionally, the LHD stakeholder survey collected perspectives specific to the SHA/SHIP update:

• to understand the current and future priorities, assets, challenges, and opportunities for the

Illinois public health system;

• to assess alignment and urgency of past SHIP priorities and additional priorities compared to

local health departments (both surveys);

• to understand the local public health system capacity and needs to address these priorities and

assess opportunities for improvement in the local public health system.

Although the system-related perspectives were collected to inform the SHA/SHIP update, IDPH fulfills a

prominent role in the public health system which resulted in those perspectives being relevant to the

Strategic Plan.

The survey was disseminated to the most up-to-date contact list for LHD administrators through an

email encouraging administrators to share the survey with other LHD staff. The survey data collection

opened September 2, 2020 and closed September 22, 2020, allowing for 21 days for completion. Weekly

reminders were sent from a variety of sources, including IPHI, P3RC, and IDPH. The survey received 75

respondents from local public health department staff at all levels.

The following respondent data was collected to understand the sources of this information:

• Over 70% of respondents have worked in public health for more than 10 years (31.9% 10-19

years, 38.3% 20+ years)

• 72.9% of respondents identified as senior executives or leadership with only 2.1% identified as

support staff.

• 89.6% of respondents identified as White, 6.3% preferred not to answer, and 2.1% identified as

African American/Black.

• Over half of the respondents identified their age range as between 45 (45-54 20.8%) and 64 (55-

64 45.8%) with only 8.3% identified as 25 – 34.

The staff/SBOH survey was primarily conducted to inform the strategic planning process and many of

the questions and responses were also informative to the update to the Healthy Illinois 2021 SHA/SHIP.

The staff/SBOH survey was disseminated to IDPH staff (including contractual and assignees), the

members of the SBOH and representatives of the Governor’s office. The survey sought to understand

IDPH’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and the need to update the Department’s

mission, vision, and values as part of the strategic planning process. Since the update to the Healthy

Illinois 2021 SHA/SHIP process was occurring simultaneous, IDPH used the same data collection process

to collect data for the SHA/SHIP update and the strategic plan with some questions being more relevant

to one process. Input pertaining to the emerging issues were collected to inform both the SHA/SHIP

update and the Strategic Plan. This process also ensured alignment between the Strategic Plan,

Workforce Development Plan, Performance and Quality Improvement Plan, and the Healthy Illinois 2021

SHA/SHIP priorities update covering the next five years. An action plan is included that identifies,

supports, and manages the core business goals of each plan.

Specific questions aimed at informing the Strategic Plan were developed to:

• Inform the IDPH mission, vision and values/guiding principles, and strategic planning priorities.

• Identify the Department’s internal strengths and weaknesses, including gaps and overall areas

for improvement and to identify external opportunities and threats.

• Assess how the Department addresses social and structural determinants of health and the its

response and priorities on current issues (anti-racism, COVID-19),

• Assess functionality and needs related to key infrastructure issues, including:

o workforce development and staffing,

o collaboration and partnerships,

o information systems and data,

o communication, and

o financial sustainability.

Survey data collection opened September 2, 2020 and closed September 25, 2020, allowing 24 days for

completion. Weekly reminders were sent from IPHI and IDPH. The survey results included data from 177

respondents. As with the LHD stakeholder survey, anonymity was sought to maintain respondents’

confidentiality. Respondents were not asked to provide their name, office location, or specific program

area.

The following respondent data was collected to understand the sources of this information:

• IDPH staff, contractual, or assignee, made up almost 92% of respondents with 4.5% identified as

SBOH members.

• Support staff made up the largest percentage of respondents (31.9%) followed by program or

direct service staff (31.1%).

• More than half of the respondents identified as having worked in IDPH or state government for

more than 10 years (10-19 years 22.4% and 20+ years 23.1%). Another quarter of respondents

identified as having worked for IDPH or in state government for less than three years.

• A majority of the respondents identified their age range as over 45 (45-54 25.4% or 55-64

32.1%).

• Almost 53% of respondents identified as White, followed by 19.9% as African American/Black,

8.1% Hispanic or Latino(a), and 1.5% Native/Indigenous American. 11.8% preferred not to

answer.

Survey data was analyzed by the partnership and presented to the Strategic Planning Committee. The

two surveys were originally created and disseminated in the SurveyGizmo® platform. Due to issues with

several IDPH staff not being able to access the staff /SBOH survey developed in SurveyGizmo®, about a

dozen of the surveys completed in this platform were not analyzed and the survey was re-administered

via the SurveyMonkey® platform. These platforms performed some basic analysis on both quantitative

and qualitative data, while additional analysis for graphical displays of data was conducted by the

partnership staff. Cross tabulation data analysis based on respondent characteristics was not conducted

as limited respondent information was collected to maintain anonymity of the respondent. Qualitative

survey data was analyzed by coding the narrative responses according to themes and counting the

number of time themes were mentioned. Themes and summary statements were created for each code

to rank them by priority based on counts. The comments identified by the same code were put into one

group and analyzed to write a summative thematic statement about all the comments. Each code was

counted to determine frequency and priority.

Five Focus Groups

The P3RC and IPHI co-developed a facilitation guide designed to seek input from the Illinois public health

system and statewide community stakeholders and partners working on Healthy Illinois 2021 priorities

and emerging priorities, including COVID-19, anti-racism, social justice, and equity. Although these focus

groups were conducted for the SHA/SHIP update, the input gathered was also informative to the

Strategic Plan. Questions pertaining to the strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement of the

public health system, COVID-19 response, and what IDPH can do to help the system reach its goals

provided valuable insight to the Strategic Planning Committee.

Each focus group included a set of stakeholders from different sectors of the public health system as

follows:

1. Emergency managers/Illinois Emergency Management Agency members

2. Resource hospitals/coalitions and Illinois Health and Hospital Association representatives

3. Local health department leadership

4. A subset of the COVID-19 Equity Committee

5. Coalition representatives from the Healthy Illinois 2021 priority areas -- maternal and child

health, chronic disease, and mental health

Focus group participants were identified through outreach by IDPH staff and partners. The 90-minute

focus group sessions took place in September and October 2020 to provide stakeholder insight on the

current and future state of the public health system, the role of the system in addressing structural

racism, and a debrief and moving forward with addressing COVID-19. Qualitative data from the focus

groups was analyzed by IPHI staff.

Supplemental Data Sources

To inform and to supplement the SWOT analysis, additional data was compiled and analyzed, including

IDPH financial analysis, overall performance and outcome achievement, workforce development and

performance management self-assessment data, implementation of the past strategic plan, and

implementation of the Healthy Illinois 2021 plan.

IDPH finances were analyzed through a review of the IDPH fiscal year 2021 budget summary, Electronic

Grants Administration and Management System (EGrAMS) grant data, and data from the General

Revenue Fund (GRF) budget by IDPH office. This financial analysis was presented to the Strategic

Planning Committee (SPC) to inform the SWOT discussion. The overall IDPH performance and outcome

data was analyzed based on existing reports provided by IDPH, including the Public Accountability

Report (PAR),

the Performance Management Assessment,

and annual performance reports from each

IDPH office. Data collected from these reports was analyzed to identify the strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats from each IDPH office’s performance and the overall performance of IDPH.

IDPH looked at the results of the workforce development assessments and the performance

management self-assessment to determine the major strengths and weaknesses. IDPH also assessed

progress on the implementation of the past Strategic Plan and the Healthy Illinois 2021 SHIP.

Strategic Planning Committee Meetings

During October 2020, the SPC met five times to participate in and support the IDPH strategic planning

process. Due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, SPC meetings were conducted virtually

using the online Zoom platform.

During these meetings, the SPC:

• reviewed results from relevant data (surveys, financial analysis, implementation of past

strategic plan, etc.) used to inform the SWOT and the strategic plan priorities;

• updated the mission, vision, and values;

• conducted a SWOT analysis;

• identified strategic priorities; and

• identified goals and objectives with measurable time-framed targets.

Input was received through discussion and during activities within randomly assigned breakout rooms.

Each meeting activity had a worksheet for breakout groups to utilize for notetaking and to inform

discussion. The information gathered from the breakout sessions was utilized to inform the Strategic

Plan priorities.

Meeting

Date

Meeting Objectives

Planning Meeting 1

October 1, 2020

• Define the purpose and benefit of

Department strategic planning.

• Review the strategic planning process and

timeline.

• Draft a mission, vision, and set of value

statements/guiding principles.

Planning Meeting 2

October 8, 2020

• Review Staff/SBOH and LHD survey data to

inform IDPH SWOTs.

• Determine cross-cutting themes from the

SWOT.

Performance Metric Data is also shared with the Comptroller who compiles an annual Public Accountability

Report (PAR). The PAR report is separate from IPRS in that it only publishes Performance Metric data tied to

State/GRF or combination State/Federal or fee-based funding sources on an annual basis.

The Performance Management Specialist records performance metric input, output, outcome, and efficiency

indicators with the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget’s (GOMB) IPRS system quarterly or annually. This

data is used by the Budgeting For Results Unit at GOMB. Regarding IPRS, each metric is tied to federal, state or fee-

based funding sources. Key Performance Indicators are shared with GOMB and IDPH for publication in the State of

Illinois Budget Book.

• Discuss next steps to finalize the mission,

vision, and set of value statements/guiding

principles.

Planning Meeting 3

October 15, 2020

• Review additional data to inform the

SWOT.

• Based on the SWOTs, identify strategic

priorities to fulfill the IDPH mission and

work towards the shared vision.

• Identify potential strategic issues for the

five-year IDPH Strategic Plan.

Planning Meeting 4

October 22, 2020

• Recommend a set of strategic planning

priorities.

• Draft goals, objectives, and strategies for

each IDPH strategic issue.

Planning Meeting 5

, October 29, 2020

• Review the revised mission, vision, and

values.

• Revise the strategic priorities by refining

the priority name and strategic question.

• Draft goals and aligned objectives for each

strategic priority.

Strategic Planning Committee Implementation Meetings

The SPC participated in three virtual implementation planning meetings following the five planning

meetings. These implementation meetings were conducted to finalize and to integrate plans into

existing workplans and structures and to identify and document initial implementation activities.

Meeting

Date

Meeting Objectives

Implementation

Planning Meeting 1

November 5, 2020

• Refine the goals and objectives for each

strategic priority.

• Identify strategies, activities, and resources

needed for implementation.

• Discuss the most useful implementation

structure.

Implementation

Planning Meeting 2

November 12, 2020

• Finalize draft objectives, strategies,

activities, and resources for

implementation.

• Identify any areas where implementation

has already started of low hanging fruit for

implementation.

• Determine next steps to fully launch

implementation and documentation of

implementation.

Implementation

Planning Meeting 3

November 19, 2020

• Finalize draft objectives, strategies,

activities, and resources for

implementation.

• Identify any areas where implementation

has already started of low hanging fruit for

implementation.

• Determine next steps to fully launch

implementation and documentation of

implementation.

IDPH Mission, Vision, and Values

Process of Revising the IDPH Mission, Vision, and Values

During the first Strategic Planning Committee meeting October 1, 2020, the committee began to draft

an updated mission, vision, and set of value statements/guiding principles. The Strategic Planning

Committee (SPC) referred to the current mission, vision, and values (MVV), definitions of MVV, as well

as data and input from the staff/SBOH survey with feedback related to the existing MVV to suggest

improvements and additions to the current statements. IPHI staff facilitated the SPC discussion and

summarized the results and initial ideas.

The feedback summary and initial ideas were shared with committee members, who were invited to

comment and/or make additional suggestions based on the summary. Next a small workgroup of SPC

volunteers convened with an IPHI facilitator to wordsmith and finalize draft MVV statements to share

with the committee and then with Dr. Ezike and Amaal Tokars. Feedback was received from the director

and assistant director and incorporated into another set of draft MVV

statements that were presented to the SPC for input and approval. The

committee suggested further revisions and the workgroup reconvened to

finalize and submit for final review. Following that second submission, the

updated mission, vision, and values were approved by the SPC and the

director.

Mission

The IDPH staff/SBOH survey asked specific questions related to the current

mission and budget to inform the development of the new mission.

Approximately 87% of survey respondents agreed (47%) or strongly agreed

(40%) IDPH’s current mission statement accurately described its purpose in

terms of its impact, audience, and method. Survey respondents provided

improvement ideas to include language or make important connections to

the work. Respondents proposed including language on health education,

health equity, and mental health. Systemic actions to connect the efforts

and standards within IDPH and the external public/private partnerships that

IDPH manages were also proposed improvement ideas.

Mission

A mission statement should clarify the

organization's purpose and indicate

what the organization does and why.  

• It should answer the question:

"Ultimately, what are we here to

do?"  

A mission statement typically

describes: 

• Impact: What do you want to

achieve in the long run? 

• Audience: Who is the target

group or beneficiaries of your

work? 

• Methods: How do you reach the

audience and achieve the

impact? 

When asked whether the IDPH budget is clearly linked to its mission and priorities, 33% of respondents

agreed while 27% responded that they did not know. Pay equity and transparency, increased funding

opportunities, cost efficiency, realignment of funds, and tool/resource improvements were noted as

areas the budget can be better linked to the mission and priorities.

Vision

The IDPH staff/SBOH survey asked specific questions related to the current

vision to inform the development of the new vision. When asked whether

IDPH’s current vision statement is motivating and inspirational for staff,

more than half of the respondents agreed (49%) or strongly agreed (20%).

Ideas for improvement included changing language to be bolder and more

descriptive, adding language about health equity, and including language

about the community-informed and focused work of IDPH. The

respondents also noted the need for specificity about the community IDPH

serves, the staff, the methodology used by IDPH, and the intended

outcome IDPH hopes to see.

New Mission:

The Illinois Department of Public Health is an advocate for and partner with the people of Illinois to

re-envision health policy and promote health equity, prevent and protect against disease and injury,

and prepare for health emergencies.

New Vision:

Illinoisans empowered and supported to achieve their optimal health with dignity and

acceptance in diverse and thriving communities.

Figure 3. Updated IDPH Mission.

Figure 4. Updated IDPH Vision.

Vision

A vision statement describes what the

community should look like and the

organization should look like as it

successfully implements strategies to

fulfill the mission and achieves the

organization’s full potential.  

• It is intended to be inspirational

and a picture of the future.  

• The vision statement is for

members of the staff and Board

of Health as inspiration and

direction. 

Values and Guiding Principles

The IDPH staff/SBOH survey asked specific questions related to the current

values to inform the development of the new value statements.

Respondents were asked about their level of agreement regarding whether

IDPH’s current core beliefs and values fully and accurately define the

Department’s core beliefs, values, and guiding principles. A majority of the

respondents agreed (55%) or strongly agreed (28%).

Survey respondents provided the following ideas for improvement to the

current value statements:

• Simplify the language.

• Partnerships: Some comments described a lack of communication

between partners and IDPH, distrust with partners and tension in

forcing relationships. Other comments were that partnerships occurred across a variety of

external levels.

• Health Equity: Need for a more nuanced description of health equity.

• Social Justice: Need for organizational-wide education and awareness on the ways in which

public health is intrinsically linked to other social determinants, including social justice.

• Health Communication: Need to include language around health communication efforts with

the public to inform, gain input, and improve overall community health. Include mention of

work on providing factual and evidence-based health education resources to the public year

around, and especially at peak times.

• Community Trust: Need to center the importance of community trust in the sharing of health

communications and building shared solutions.

• Role of Data: Note that the values of IDPH were founded in data reflective of the best data

available at the time of the publication.

• External Transparency: Language increase efforts to improve external transparency with the

community and national partners.

• Community-informed: Include language on transparency, accountability, and community

informed work on behalf of the public.

Survey respondents most frequently noted that the IPDH core beliefs and values address COVID-19

“very much” (36%) on a scale of 1 being “very little” to 5 being “very much.” A majority of the

respondents selected 3 out of 5 for structural racism at 34%, followed by 4 out of 5 (29%) and 5 out of 5

(18%). Public Health 3.0 (36%) and Social and Structural Determinants of Health (36%) were most

frequently selected 4 out of 5. Forty-five respondents selected “Other” (44% - 3 out of 5), with seven

participants providing written answers that included queer health, risk communication, external

communication, and social media communication.

Values

Define an organization by

communicating core beliefs,

standards, characteristics, and ethical

ideologies.  

• Are intended to ground and drive

the way members of an

organization work with each

other, partners, and the

community.  

• Should influence decision-making

and approaches to the work of

the organization.

SWOT Analysis

The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis explores the IDPH’s internal

strengths and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats. The SWOT tool is a framework for

organizing and looking at the information that informs the big picture view.

This analysis helps define

cross-cutting issues and potential areas of focus that may become strategic priorities to fulfill IDPH’s

mission and work towards the vision.

The SPC utilized the staff/SBOH and LHD stakeholder surveys, focus groups, progress on the past

Strategic Plan and 2016 SHIP implementation, data on IDPH performance, IDPH financial analysis,

linkages to the SHIP, and other information, including IDPH workforce development, information

management, communication, and emerging threats. This data was shared with the SPC and discussed

virtually in small and large group formats to further define IDPH internal strengths and weaknesses or

improvement opportunities. When possible, this data was also utilized to inform external opportunities

and threats.

Developing a Local Health Department Strategic Plan: A How-To Guide. NACCHO.

https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/Programs/Public-Health-

Infrastructure/StrategicPlanningGuideFinal.pdf

Figure 5. Updated IDPH Value and Guiding Principles.

SWOT

The following themes were developed from staff/SBOH and LHD survey responses as well as discussion

with the SPC on October 8, 2020:

IDPH Internal Strengths

• Leadership:

o Dr. Ezike’s leadership is respected

among Illinois residents; good

communicator.

o Dr. Ezike’s strong partnership with the

Governor.

o Dr. Ezike conveys IDPH as a mission-

driven, equity-focused organization.

• Mission:

o Health equity focus.

• Staffing:

o IDPH staff expertise, knowledge,

competency.

o Care, dedication, service, willingness.

o Teamwork/ability to come together in

large or small teams as the need

dictates.

• Workplace:

o Flexible work schedules.

o Remote operations driving operational

improvements.

• Partnerships:

o With industry, local leaders, LHDs,

Governor’s office.

• Communication:

o Regular communication with LHDs.

• Health education:

o High-quality health education via calls

and webinars (not clear who audience

is – LHDs?).

IDPH Internal Weaknesses

• Staffing:

o Under staffing/high workload.

o Makeup (more/different expertise. Not

clear – does this also include more

diversity needed?).

o High turnover; lack of transition

planning; loss of institutional

knowledge.

o Low morale (due to understaffing and

turnover).

o Pay equity.

o Lack of workforce development.

o COVID-19 staffing upsets

balance/overwhelms traditional staff;

too many temporary workers; training

needs not met.

• Communication:

o Between staff and managers,

to/among regional offices, external

communications (with LHDs mentioned

specifically).

o Improve communication with public in

light of targeting public health (is this

more of a threat?).

o Improve communication with younger

people.

• Processes/bureaucracy:

o Complicated infrastructure;

cumbersome procurement processes;

multiple communications paths; lack of

standard operating procedures;

duplication of effort (solutions

suggested including project

management tools and better

communications).

• Collaboration:

o Programmatic silos; siloed funding.

• Accountability and performance (not

specified).

• Language access:

o Improve communications in more

languages; translators (not sure what

about translators?).

• LGBTQ+ Health:

o Need increased focus.

• Partnerships:

o Need to increase community allies.

External Opportunities

• Partnerships:

o More partnerships: academic

institutions, community orgs, public

agencies, private orgs, non-traditional

partners/other sectors; community

engagement.

o Strengthen through communication and

transparency.

o Overlapping content areas and

opportunity for collaboration (does this

relate to health equity in all policies).

• Health equity:

o New leverage opportunities regarding

health equity, health equity-friendly

budget.

o Promote health equity in all policies

approach.

o Training for staff on health equity.

• Training:

o In general, training and education

opportunities.

• COVID-19:

o Opportunities to increase support

for/importance of public health

practice; make case for more robust

public health system/more investment.

• Funding:

External Threats

• • Public distrust: o Distrust of public

health, of science, distrust of

government in general; lack of

community buy-in/faith

•

• • Political climate: o Politicization of

public health; polarized political

climate

•

• • Funding: o State and federal budget

deficits; COVID economic downturn

impact

• o Inconsistent distribution federal of

funding

• o Siloed funding streams

•

• • Federal public health: o Inconsistent

information/directives/guidance

•

• • COVID: o Lack of epi & data people in

workforce who can translate data into

information and policy

recommendations

• o Burnout/mental/physical/emotional

toll of the pandemic on staff.

•

• • Staffing: o Better pay/work

environment opportunities outside of

IDPH

•

External Threats

• Public distrust:

o Distrust of public health, of science, of

government in general; lack of

community buy-in/faith.

• Political climate:

o Politicization of public health; polarized

political climate.

• Funding:

o State and federal budget deficits;

COVID-19 economic downturn impact.

o Inconsistent distribution federal of

funding.

o Siloed funding streams.

• Federal public health:

o Inconsistent

information/directives/guidance.

• COVID:

o Lack of epi and data people in

workforce who can translate data into

information and policy

recommendations.

o Burnout/mental/physical/emotional

toll of the pandemic on staff.

• Staffing:

o Better pay/work environment

opportunities outside of IDPH.

o New opportunities.

• Technology:

o Opportunity to harness mobile

applications and social media to connect

people to services, provide alerts, foster

connections, and collaboration; geo-

fencing/beacon technology.

• Mental health

The SPC sorted and analyzed the SWOT and defined cross-cutting themes from the SWOT analysis. In

this context, the SPC members reflected on the cross-cutting themes along with the past strategic plan

issues and relevance of those priorities today, new and emerging issues, and the data gathered from the

surveys to identify current issues. The SPC members critically analyzed which of these identified issues

could be considered strategic and would have the greatest impact on IDPH and the health of Illinoisans

and which may be more operational in nature. Through consensus building discussion, the SPC

narrowed the strategic issues to six priorities. To fully define the strategic issue from a topical

improvement area, workgroups were formed and tasked with drafting a question that encapsulates the

strategic issue. The drafting of the question to define the strategic priorities helped workgroup members

home in on the specific challenge and desired outcomes which prepared the members to develop goals,

objectives, and strategies to finalize the priorities for the 2021-2025 IDPH Strategic Plan.

Strategic Priorities

Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity

This priority addresses the strategic question: how can IDPH dismantle systemic inequalities and

advance health equity?

Across the data sources, health equity and disparities were frequently noted as a top priority.

• A majority of survey respondents (83% staff/SBOH and 65% LHD) noted cultural/racial equity as

an important or very important area to continue and/or begin work.

• Staff/SBOH survey respondents frequently noted that IDPH needs to become more open and

vocal on the issues surrounding structural racism.

• Integrating and emphasizing anti-racism and equity was cited as one of two lowest ranked

services for public health system capability in the LHD survey. Slightly more than half (52%) of

LHD survey respondents noted moderate capability (skills, knowledge, and expertise) to

integrate and emphasize anti-racism and equity with 32% having noted minimal capacity (staff,

time, and funding).

• Focus groups frequently identified issues with a lack of access to care and community outreach,

limited categorical funding, and a lack of diverse/representative workforce in regard to the

public health system’s ability to address structural racism.

Addressing racism, equity, and justice was frequently described throughout the focus groups and survey

data as a significant issue. Due to the significant findings that showed a need to address this topic, IDPH

recognized the importance of identifying “Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity”

as a strategic priority.

Enhancing Data Gathering, Dissemination and Actionability

This priority addresses the strategic question: how can IDPH generate, and broadly and proactively

share, high-quality data that is understood by users, easily accessible, meaningful, actionable, and

supports efforts to advance health equity in all communities? Limited data sharing, collection, and

accessibility were challenges cited throughout the data sources.

• Most LHD survey respondents mentioned the need to improve access to and dissemination of

timely data since the length of time between datasets makes it difficult for strategic planning,

decision making, and evaluating effort and impact.

• Staff/SBOH survey respondents scored 3.11 out of 5 for agreement with this statement: “IDPH’s

current data and information systems are adequate to support our mission.”

• Survey respondents for both the staff/SBOH (57% very important) and LHD (37% very

important) surveys recognized the importance of continuing to improve data quality and

dissemination.

• LHD survey respondents rated the public health system’s capacity to address the service of

“Evaluate Effectiveness, Accessibility, and Quality of Services” at 29% minimal to no capacity.

• Survey respondents and focus groups noted the need for IDPH to stop the use of outdated

technology and surveillance systems.

• The financial analysis and subsequent discussion noted that actions or activities to correct

problems were rarely heard because IDPH operates in silos and data is not shared, nor is there a

way to synthesize/analyze the different data collection repositories.

• The financial analysis also presented that there is greater opportunity for data driven decision-

making within IDPH overall.

• Focus groups noted the significant need for more timely access to data and better

communication about data, specifically at the local and county levels.

With evidence from the data sources, the SPC acknowledged the importance of data quality and

accessibility to advance the work of the system and IDPH. Data improvement was frequently highlighted

as an important priority to continue addressing with the updated Strategic Plan. Further, Public Health

3.0 defines actionable data as one of the key recommendations to advance public health. “Timely,

reliable, granular-level (i.e., subcounty), and actionable data should be made accessible to communities

throughout the country, and clear metrics to document success in public health practice should be

developed to guide, focus, and assess the impact of prevention initiatives, including those targeting the

social determinants of health and enhancing equity. The public and private sectors should work together

to enable more real-time and geographically granular data to be shared, linked, and synthesized to

inform action while protecting data security and individual privacy. This includes developing a core set of

metrics that encompass health care and public health, particularly the social determinants of health,

environmental outcomes, and health disparities.”

For these reasons, “Enhancing Data Gathering,

Dissemination and Actionability” was prioritized as a strategic issue by the SPC.

Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness

This priority addresses the strategic question: how can IDPH dismantle silos and improve internal

communication and collaboration in order to be a more cohesive, efficient, and effective organization?

While communication is commonly cited as an issue within organizations, data collected revealed the

perceived impact that internal silos have on communication and collaboration.

• Effective internal communications were rated an overall average of 3.6 out of 5 with staff/SBOH

survey respondents. This includes statements on effective internal communications from across

IDPH.

• Staff/SBOH respondents expressed a need for more cross-office communication and SPC

members described a need for dismantling silos that create communication barriers.

• Several staff/SBOH respondents suggested all-staff meetings and consistent ways to

communicate together to all staff on a regular basis.

• Staff/SBOH survey respondents most frequently identified communication as an important issue

to address and how lack of communication has been caused by and resulted in silos across IDPH.

• When asked what IDPH should stop doing that is not working, respondents noted that silos

should not be allowed within departments, and communications, promises, action plans, and in

person relationships should not be neglected.

Findings from all data sources consistently highlighted the need for improved internal communication

systems and the challenge of silos within IDPH. Data revealed how silos have resulted in weakened

communication and collaboration across offices and programs. The SPC recognized the need to focus on

“Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness” over the next five years.

Increasing Organizational and Community Resilience and Preparedness

This priority addresses the strategic question: how can we ensure we are well prepared for future public

health emergencies and continue to mitigate the current threat(s)? Since the strategic planning process

was conducted in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency preparedness and response were a

top priority on the minds of many who participated in surveys, focus groups, and discussions. Several

questions focused on what Illinois has done well, what can be improved, and what needs to be done to

be more successful in the future as we continue to navigate through the pandemic, a mass vaccination

plan, and to prepare and to respond to other threats and hazards.

• LHD survey respondents rated “Prepare and Respond to Health Threats in the Community” as

high with 59% reporting optimal or significant; yet still noted needs for improvement.

DeSalvo, Wang, Harris, Auerbach, Koo, O’Carroll. Public Health 3.0: A Call to Action for Public Health to Meet the

Challenges of the 21

Century (2017). CDC: Preventing Chronic Disease.

https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2017/17_0017.htm

• Focus group participants noted there were struggles to exercise epidemiology and public health

surveillance, Strategic National Stockpile plans were not implemented or updated, and there

were issues with planning for vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 response.

• Preparedness and response were identified as a public health system gap/challenge most

frequently/strongly highlighted and needed urgent improvement by survey respondents (LHD –

11.3% and staff/SBOH – 12.6%).

• 45.1% of LHD survey respondents scored “planning” 3 out of 5 (excellent) for how well the

public health system has conducted planning activities during COVID-19.

Overall, preparedness and response were frequently noted as a necessary strategic priority as a result of

the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic consistently highlighted gaps and challenges with preparedness

and response across the system and within IDPH despite the strong leadership Illinois demonstrated.

Therefore, the SPC determined that “Increasing Organization and Community Resilience and

Preparedness” should remain a strategic priority to address over the next five years.

Improving Communication, Collaboration, and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the

Public

This priority addresses the strategic question: how do we ensure public health information is shared

with the public in an effective and timely manner by and through trusted sources and partners? The

challenges presented with vast communication needs during the pandemic highlighted the importance

of aligned, timely public health communication to partners and communities from trusted sources. Data

gathered reinforced this need.

• Communication was most frequently cited across both surveys when respondents were asked to

describe the top three most notable weaknesses of IDPH. This included communication between

staff and managers, regional offices, between LHD’s and local offices, and other external

partners.

• Overall branding and marketing were scored on average 3.27 out of 5 (highest) for the

effectiveness of external IDPH communications by staff/SBOH survey respondents.

• Communication to the general public from IDPH was rated 3.55 out of 5 on average for

effectiveness by staff/SBOH survey respondents.

• Focus group participants frequently noted partnership engagement and state public health

system communication as examples of what has been least effective or not done well. This

included a perceived lack of transparent decision-making, engagement with decision makers and

elected officials, silos across the system, and communication with partners.

• A majority of the respondents from both surveys (58% staff/SBOH – very important and 47%

LHD – important) noted the importance of continuing partnership development over the next

five years.

• Public distrust and the polarized political climate were also frequently highlighted as external

threats throughout the data sources.

Building partnerships, improving external communication, and breaking down silos were most

frequently highlighted as areas for improvement across all data sources. Partnership development was

specifically identified as a top priority for both surveys. The analysis of the data showed that “Improving

Communication, Collaboration, and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the Public” should remain

a significant strategic priority to address.

Strengthening, Supporting and Developing the IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce

This priority addresses the strategic question: how can IDPH support the future and current public

health workforce in Illinois? Both the SPC and the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Team working

on an update to the Healthy Illinois 2021 plan noted significant capacity needs for the public health

workforce today and in the future. COVID-19 highlighted how the public health workforce is

understaffed in key areas.

• 27% of staff/SBOH survey respondents disagreed and 13% strongly disagreed with the

statement that “IDPH has sufficient daily workforce capacity to adequately address the current

priorities and emerging public health issues in Illinois.”

• Staff/SBOH survey respondents identified hiring and retention, tailored training and skill

development, diversity, equity and inclusion, and leadership development as most critical

workforce development needs for IDPH.

• Focus group participants cited staffing shortages, limited funding for staffing, lack of critical

public health roles (i. e., legal and policy, community health workers, etc.), underpaid staff, and

low recruitment efforts as ineffective aspects of the public health system.

• LHD survey respondents rated the capacity (staff, time, funding) of the public health system

much lower than the capability of the public health system, which indicates the need for more

public health staff.

• A range of 30-46% of LHD survey respondents scored more than half of the essential public

health services as minimal to no capacity within the local public health system.

Across data sources, capacity and capability was frequently noted as gaps and challenges experienced

within IDPH and across the public health system workforce. Survey and focus group participants

identified various needed areas of improvement. The SPC identified how strengthening the workforce

would lead to strengthening in the overall system, which is why the SPC prioritized “Strengthening,

Supporting, and Developing the IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce.”

Action Plans

IDPH selected the following strategic issues as priorities:

• Reducing and Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity

• Enhancing Data Gathering, Dissemination, and Actionability

• Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness

• Increasing Organizational and Community Resilience and Preparedness

• Improving Communication, Collaboration, and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the Public

• Strengthening, Supporting, and Developing the IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce

Strategic Planning Committee Members worked in teams to develop goals, objectives, and strategies to address the issues over the next five

years and began working on strategies defined as “low-hanging fruit” or foundational to jump start the implementation of the plan in 2021.

Reducing and Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity

How can IDPH dismantle systemic inequalities and advance health equity?

Goal 1: IDPH’s culture celebrates diversity, reflects the Department’s health equity mission, and ensures that all staff are welcomed,

respected, and valued for their contributions and ideas

Objective 1A: By December 2026, staff will strengthen their capacity for understanding and acting on diversity, inclusion, racism, and

implicit bias by 75% through related professional development activities.

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Conduct a baseline assessment on the

staff understanding of racism, diversity, inclusion, and

implicit bias and implement assessment on a periodic

basis (continually measuring).

Office of Human

Resources

(OHR), Director’s

Office (DO)

High quality assessment tool

(survey), if the current one needs

improving.

By April 2021

Establish leadership to lead internal and external

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)/health equity

efforts.

Funding source and approval by

Illinois Department of Central

Management Services (CMS) for

position description

9-12 months,

by January

2022

Provide professional development activities for each

staff person each year.

OHR

Training activities

Beginning

March 2021

Objective 1B: By June 30, 2023, IDPH will have an agency-wide approach in place to build its culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Establish leadership to lead internal and external

DEI/health equity efforts.

Salary $$ and approval by

CMS/OHR, etc. for position

description.

9-12 months,

by January

2022

The DEI Committee has been established and will lead these

efforts. Members of that committee can be contacted by

staff with concerns. The DEI committee has established

goals.

DEI Committee point

person for each office

Communication to identify contact

person in each office with goals

statement.

Within 3

months, by

March 2021

Goal 2: All IDPH programs are delivered with health equity priority and lens. This is goal linked with the SHIP Vision for Success to

“Integrate equity checklists in all grants and planning processes.”

Objective 2A: By December 2022, 75% of all grants, vendor contracts, and program partnerships will incorporate a health

equity requirement or component in alignment with IDPH’s health equity framework.

Establish leadership to lead internal and external DEI/health equity

efforts.

Salary $$ and approval by

CMS/OHR, etc. for position

description.

9-12 months,

by January

2022

By December 2021, 100% of IDPH offices will have reviewed their

programs and identified opportunities to include health equity

components and requirements from the health equity checklist.

Deputy

directors

Training via ITRAIN

12 months, by

December 2021

IDPH staff, local health departments, and grantees

are knowledgeable about and are using the health equity checklist.

Deputy

directors

Post training survey

By February

2022

Objective 2B: By December 2024, IDPH programs are data driven and include prioritization of funding and effort focused on public health

work that includes strategies on health disparities and systemic inequity. (Note: disparities and inequities are not limited to racial

inequities and may also include, among others, populations such as LGBTQ+, non-binary, ethnicity, poverty, senior residents, individuals

experiencing homelessness, undocumented immigrants, different abilities, rural communities, etc.)

Establish leadership to lead internal and external DEI/health equity

efforts.

DO and DEI

Committee

Internal and external

collaboration

9-12 months,

by January

2022

Educate and communicate regarding specific efforts around inequity

and disparity.

DO and DEI

Committee

Health equity tools

Beginning

August 2021

Enhancing Data Gathering, Dissemination, and Actionability

How can IDPH generate, and broadly and proactively share, high-quality data that is understood by users, easily accessible, meaningful,

actionable, and supports efforts to advance health equity in all communities?

Goal 1: Establish strong internal data science, surveillance, epidemiology, and statistical analysis capacity. This goal is linked with the SHIP

Vision for Success for “Improved health models that are date driven/data sharing.”

Objective 1A: Survey and disseminate existing data systems by December 21, 2021, (i.e., statutorily required data, updated data

dictionary, stakeholder requirements).

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Review internal and external

requirements for data systems

and needs.

Office of Policy, Planning and Statistics

(OPPS), OPM, Legislative Affairs, regional

health officers

Use Survey Monkey, REDCAP, or

Excel spreadsheet to gather data.

By December

2021

Review and develop best

practices.

OPPS, Office of Performance Management

(OPM)

Review existing data standards

through an equity lens.

Council of State and Territorial

Epidemiologists.

By December

2022

Create a visualization of IDPH’s

key data goals.

OPPS, OPM, Information Technology (IT),

Office of Communications

Data visualization software to

display population health data

sets.

Technical assistance to get the

data on the IDPH website.

By December

2022

Disseminate results.

Deputy directors, section chiefs, and data

stewards

Senior Staff meeting, IPLAN,

Annual Report, Budgeting for

Results,

Website.

By December

2023

Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness

How can IDPH dismantle silos and improve internal communication and collaboration in order to be a more cohesive, efficient, and effective

organization?

Goal 1: IDPH staff members understand the work of IDPH and the role they play.

Objective 1A: New IDPH staff members must complete agency orientation training that includes information about the organizational

structure within a month of onboarding (system in place by December 2021.)

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Certificate of completion for the existing

onboarding training.

OHR, staff-participant,

onboarding supervisor

ITRAIN, SmartSheet

By December

2021

Deputy directors may invite one or more of their

staff team to participate in interviews as

appropriate and may invite other offices to

participate in the orientation process.

Deputy directors

Outlook calendar/invitation

By December

2021

Create orientation with relevant information that

may include acronyms, funds, phone numbers,

emails and other contact information, and org

charts; and regularly update.

OHR staff receive

support from the

different offices

Physical binder and electronic – app or

folder housed online,” How-to Guide.”

By December

2021

Develop list of relevant information (who the staff

are, what their work looks like, and where they

are located) that each division should share with

new staff.

OHR staff receive support

from the different offices

Extract from human resources system work

location and title, updated information from

the different offices and staff.

By December

2021

Disseminate information to new and to current

staff on navigating the intranet and how to find

existing resources (i. e., regional maps etc.).

Office of

Communications

SIREN or mass blast to let them know it

exists and where to find it.

By December

2021

Develop an onboarding and orientation program.

OHR and Office of

Communications

ITRAIN/Orientation Agenda

By December

of 2022

Objective 1C: The Director’s Office will further develop bi-directional communication with Department Leadership by December 2022.

Extract and record institutional knowledge from

current staff.

OHR, deputy directors,

supervisors, and staff

All offboarding plans include a transition

plan.

By December

2022

Increasing Organizational and Community Resilience and Preparedness

How can we ensure we are well prepared for future public health emergencies and continue to mitigate the current threat(s)?

Goal 1: Demonstrate internal capacity in public health preparedness and response while maintaining (to effectively prevent illness,

mitigate threats/hazards and respond to public health emergencies) continuity of operations by December 31, 2021. This goal is linked

with the SHIP Vision for Success for “Improved resource planning outside of COVID-19.”

Objective 1A: Develop the current Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program setting short-term and long-term milestones to

achieve the goals.

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Assess the current emergency management plans for

IDPH.

Office of Preparedness and Response

(OPR), Office of Health Protection

(OHP), external stakeholders,

representatives from DO

Staff time,

technology to

conduct virtual

meetings

By April 2021

Assess the current testing, training, and exercise program

for IDPH.

OPR, OHP, external stakeholders,

representatives from DO

Staff time,

technology to

conduct virtual

meetings

By April 2021

Implement goals and objectives of the emergency

management program.

OPR, OHP, external stakeholders,

representatives from the DO

Staff time,

technology to

conduct virtual

meetings

By August

2021

Identify potential revenue streams to continue to support

the program.

OPR, OHP, external stakeholders,

representatives from the DO

Staff time, technology

to conduct virtual

meetings

By April 2021

Ensure IDPH staff are trained and engaged.

OPR, OHP, external stakeholders,

representatives from the DO

Staff time,

technology to

conduct virtual

meetings

By January

2022

Objective 1B: By December 31, 2021, develop the current the current Emergency Preparedness Program for IDPH into a Comprehensive

Emergency Management Program setting short-term and long-term milestones to achieve the goal to engage external stakeholders to

increase the resiliency of Illinois.

Use best practices and empirical data to identify key

stakeholders by conducting an analysis and recommend

opportunities to increase resiliency practices through

MOU’s, possible rule/statutory changes, or grant

requirements.

Local health departments

By April 2021

Articulate framework for collaborative action with

stakeholders.

IEMA, ING, EPA, CDC, FEMA, HHS, IDOT

Staff time, technology

to conduct virtual

meetings

Summit/seminar

By August 2021

Improving Communication, Collaboration, and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the Public

How do we ensure public health information is shared with the public in an effective and timely manner by and through trusted sources and

partners?

Goal 1: IDPH is viewed as trusted, reliable, and credible public health resource and subject-matter expert. This goal is a priority for the

SHIP Vision for Success for “Improved and consistent /shared communication and messaging.”

Objective 1A: Create and disseminate proactive and responsive communication messages and information about a range of public health

issues and topics in a coordinated and timely manner.

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Develop a quality improvement (QI) team and project

to reduce the amount of time it takes to get formal

communication out. QI team will map the

communication development and dissemination

process to identify improvement opportunities and to

implement an improvement plan.

Office of Communications,

deputy directors, QI lead

Staff time and access to staff for

interviews and process reviews.

By April

2021

Ensure all IDPH communication has credible data for

evidence-informed information.

Office of Communications,

deputy directors, OPPS

Scheduled and consistent updates

(meetings) from data teams for

sharing and updates of data.

December

2021

Identify subject matter experts to inform

communication from each program area.

Office of Communications,

deputy directors

Identify subject matter experts

and others to provide guidance.

By July 2021

Review existing social media channels for usefulness,

responsiveness, and timeliness.

Deputy directors, social media

staff person.

$$ for social media staff person;

access to all social media

accounts.

By July 2021

Objective 1B: Ensure that the Communications Plan is informed by Cultural and Racial Equity by January 2022.

Articulate communications plan to meet

demand/needs.

Deputy directors, OHR, chief

of staff

For salaries

By July 2021

Identify workgroups and capacity building activities

for communication and community engagement staff

that includes the development of communication

that is cultural inclusive.

Office of Communications t,

Minority Health Services,

Office of Health Promotion

(OHPM), Community Public

Health Outreach Manager

Prioritization of time to allow for

access and inclusion in meetings

and roundtables.

By April

2021

Identify and highlight models of excellence in

communication plans and systems external to IDPH.

Deputy directors, Office of

Communications, external

organizations, and

professional associations

Prioritization of time to allow for

engagement with outside

organizations. Staff to establish

relationships and prioritize

ongoing cultivation of same. $$

allocations for memberships

where necessary.

By October

2021

Objective 1C: IDPH Communication and Community Engagement staff increase knowledge, skill, and capacity to integrate cultural and

racial equity lens or framework into their strategic communication.

Engage with diverse community organizations to

build trust and open lines of communication

regarding health care concerns.

Office of Communications,

Minority Health Services,

Staff to establish relationships

and prioritize ongoing cultivation

of same.

Begin March

2021

Identify diversity/equity/inclusion training for staff.

Deputy director, OHR,

Minority Health Services

$$ funding for training;

identification of trainer

Begin

March2021

Prioritization of times for

meetings

Identify cultural/racial benchmarks (i. e., holidays,

events of local organizations, etc.) into editorial and

digital educative information.

Office of Communications,

community anchors

Staff to conduct research into

dates and events and maintain

relationships with various

organizations.

Begin March

2021

Goal 2: A coordinated public health communication system across Illinois with accurate, aligned, and timely public health

information exchanged. This goal is a priority for the SHIP Vision for Success for “Improved and consistent /shared communication and

messaging.”

Objective 2A: Enhance the partnership with LHDs in dealing with public health issues including emergencies and threats that

might prevent a consistent voice, messaging, and coordinated efforts from being developed by January 2022.

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Strengthen and enhance the LHD public

information officer (PIO) network.

Office of Communications,

local health department

PIOs, regional PIO leads

Ensure dissemination of

information to all LHD PIOs

through regional leads.

Build communication conduits for

same (chatrooms, GroupMe#,

etc.).

Begin March

2021

Objective 2B: Build Community Relationships

Build a network with community-based

organizations and community

representatives (particularly in central and

southern Illinois) and hard to reach

communities to reach key audiences.

Leverage this network for targeted social

media to reach intended populations.

Office of Communications,

community public health

outreach manager, OHPM,

Minority Health Services

Prioritization of time to allow for

engagement with outside

organizations. Staff to establish

relationships and prioritize ongoing

cultivation of same. $$ allocations for

memberships where necessary.

Begin March

2021

Strengthening, Supporting, and Developing the IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce

How can IDPH support the future and current public health workforce in Illinois?

Goal 1: IDPH has a well-prepared workforce with a culture of continuous learning, opportunities for advancement, and development in a

supportive environment.

Objective 1A: By June 30, 2023, IDPH will implement a revised onboarding and orientation procedure and protocol resulting in a more

prepared and competent staff.

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Develop department level new-employee orientation,

including video presentation by each office.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

Existing training resources,

information technology (IT)

By January

2022

Implement department level new-employee orientation,

including video presentation by each office.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

Intranet

By March

2022

Develop and implement a survey of recent hires (within a

year) to gain feedback from their onboarding experience.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

IT support

By March

2021

Develop onboarding orientation/training.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

Existing templates

By June 2021

Develop or identify existing orientation/training and

distribute for onboarding.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

Begin July

2021

Develop and implement orientation/training assessment.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

IT support

By June 2021

Survey office for examples of existing transition

processes.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

Point person from each office,

point person from OHR

By June 2021

Create and disseminate a transition planning template or

process to be standardized by office that includes such

components as outline of job descriptions, meetings to be

attended, projects with due dates, guide to files, and/or IT

processes.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

Support for OHR and based on

best practices from other states

By June 2022

Identify relevant agency or programmatic standard

operating procedures.

DO, office leadership

Existing documentation

By June 2021

Develop relevant standard operating procedures or

process checklists.

Office of Finance and

Administration (OFA), IT,

legal, OPM, leadership

All levels of staff, IT resources,

templates

By January

2022

Objective 1B: By December 30, 2024, 25 percent of IDPH staff will have achieved their individual training goals.

Pilot a continuous training program through

individualized learning goals.

OHR, office leadership

Other state agencies that have

training programs – Illinois

Department of Transportation

By June 2022

Expand individual learning goals to every office.

OHR, Office Leadership

By June 2023

Identify key leads on Strategic Plan implementation

leadership roles to include deputy directors, division

chiefs, or section chiefs.

DO, office leadership,

Clear review of Strategic Plan

By March

2021

Require training for supervisors in management and

coaching.

OHR, office leadership

CMS, Illinois Department of

Healthcare and Family Services

(HFS), Illinois Department of

Human Services (DHS) trainings

By January

2022

Use intranet/email to communicate meetings, trainings,

and other staff opportunities.

Office of

Communications, OHR,

offices, DO

Tools on the intranet, IDPH

resources

By July 2021

Promote best practice of cross-training in programs,

functions.

Office leadership

Senior Staff, office, and division

level meetings

By January

2022

Pilot an IDPH mentorship program for new IDPH staff.

OHR, office leadership

Illinois state agencies, examples

from other states

By June 2022

Offer project management training.

IDPH training resources

By December

2021

Goal 2: IDPH is an active partner and leader in developing the future public health system’s workforce.

Objective 1A: By December 31, 2022, IDPH will further organizational learning through collaborations with at least five hospitals or

institutions of higher learning to enhance IDPH’s footing as a learning organization.

Strategies/ Activities

Who will be

involved?

Resources

Timeline for

completion

Align with funding opportunities

to provide salary/stipends for

staff/interns.

OFA, DO, OHR,

deputy directors

Training or documentation from OFA and OHR on funding

mechanisms, contracting mechanisms, and allowable activities.

By January

2022

Develop an Internship program.

OHR, DO

Point person, local colleges, other health departments.

By December

2022

Objective 1B: By December 31, 2023, there will be increased awareness of the vast array of public health positions.

Schedule roundtables or tours.

DO, office

leadership

Create request form, promotion plan, need point person.

By January

2022

Develop a relationship with career

services at universities.

OHR, DO, office

leadership

OHR to identify a point person to develop the relationships.

By January

2022

IDPH ambassador initiative to

speak at schools and event.

DO, office

leadership

Create team to develop program, pilot, promote.

By June 2022

Objective 2C: Formalize internship program at IDPH by January 2022.

Identify intern best practices at

other state health departments.

DO, office

leadership

Reach out to learn best practices at other state department of

health(SDOH) internship programs. Reach out to Association of

State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

By December

2021

Conduct IDPH internship needs

assessment.

DO, office

leadership

Working with local and national partners on best practices for

internships.

By June 2022

Attend internship fair.

DO, office

leadership

By December

2022

Next Steps

Over the next five years, the Strategic Plan will be utilized to guide the work of IDPH as well as support

the activities of the State Health Improvement Plan. Staff will be encouraged to follow the action plan

within the document to ensure alignment and accomplishment of IDPH goals.

The result is a Strategic Plan divided into six priority areas:

1. Eliminating Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity

2. Enhancing Data Gathering, Dissemination, and Actionability

3. Reducing Silos to Improve IDPH Collaboration and Effectiveness

4. Increasing Organization and Community Resilience and Preparedness

5. Improving Community Collaboration and Trust Among Stakeholders, Partners, and the Public

6. Strengthening, Supporting, and Developing IDPH and Illinois Public Health Workforce.

Each priority area has an associated action plan that will be used by Priority Work Groups to monitor the

overall implementation and the progress toward objectives over time. Each group will be led by a pair of

IDPH staff with involvement of program and administrative staff from across the agencies and across all

titles. Under the direction of the Office of Performance Management (OPM), this will be a vertically

integrated team of leaders and staff members, trained in continuous quality improvement techniques

and processes, that will lead the effort to ensure the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan are

fulfilled. Workgroups will engage through in-person and virtual meetings. Built into the implementation

process will be opportunities to update the goals and objectives of the plan over the next five years.

Appendix

Mission, Vision, and Values