Cooperation between civic and private-sector health entities can present new opportunities to improve the overall well-being of the people they serve. Collaborative efforts in Columbiana County in Ohio have developed a three-year Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) through a comprehensive Community Health Assessment (CHA), conducted throughout 2025 to come out as a stronger, healthier Ohio at the close of 2028.
The plan aims to facilitate more positive behavioral health outcomes based on the regional population’s most critical needs as assessed through rigorous data collection. The assessment—which includes data analysis, community feedback, and discussions with healthcare infrastructure leaders—identified the top four most crucial health issues facing the county:
- Suicide risk
- Substance overdose and use
- Obesity and its related health conditions
- Preventative care to manage chronic disease
The Ohio county’s CHIP has outlined a multidimensional approach to confronting each of these concerns broken down by cumulative, initiative-specific goals building progressively each year allowing segment analysis and data collection.
REDUCING SUICIDE AND OVERDOSE OCCURENCES
Recently published data has reiterated eastern Ohio, including Columbiana County, holds the highest rates of both suicide and unintentional drug overdoses in the state. To lower suicide rates, the CHIP mandates:
- Provide mental health first aid training for employees of nonprofit and public service organizations throughout 2026.
- Review data throughout 2027 from the county’s Mental Health and Recovery Services Board (MHRSB) and coroner’s office to identify trends, risk factors, and possible avenues for suicide prevention like age, access and stigma.
- Analyze the data to develop and implement a targeted suicide prevention program in 2028.
To lower unintentional drug overdose rates, the CHIP mandates:
- In 2026, expand distribution of Narcan and coordinate with Columbiana County’s health and law enforcement agencies to train first responders on emergency treatment and administration of the drug.
- Strengthen referral networks in 2027 between treatment and recovery programs and county emergency services with assistance from the MHRSB.
- Review data in 2028 to determine prevalent overdose communities in need of targeted outreach campaigns. Then, tailor campaigns for implementation.
The CHIP also called for the creation of a new health board specifically tasked with suicide and drug overdose prevention approved by county commissioners in 2025. Ohio’s strategy as a whole has pivoted to defensive drug use treatment and education like much of the SUD industry following SAMHSA’s 2026 cuts to harm reduction efforts despite proven effectiveness.
TAKING STEPS TO FIGHT OBESITY AT EVERY AGE
CHIP focuses on three priorities:
- Take advantage of Ohio State University’s Extension Nutrition Program, which offers education on diet, physical activity, and other health maintenance topics. The county seeks to onboard one school in 2026, expand programming to participating districts in 2027, and assess outcomes throughout 2028.
- Increase by at least 2% the participation among county seniors in the Medicare and Medicaid-supported Silver Sneakers program, which encourages exercise in people ages 65 and older. Strategies include providing materials to inform the public at senior centers, libraries, and community events to boost enrollment in 2026, increasing enrollment by encouraging seniors to include their companions in 2027, and a closing assessment in 2028.
- See at least a 3% bi-annual improvement in county youth survey responses on healthy eating and exercise. The plan calls for identification of health-related needs within a school environment and implementation of a program to answer them in 2026, followed by its expansion in 2027 with a followup youth survey in 2028.
PREVENTATIVE CARE INITIATIVES
Chronic disease in the region creates not only health problems but also financial strain for individuals and families. Preventative care can help manage these effects by ensuring that disease-related issues are avoided or alleviated in a reduction of cases, effectively lowering out-of-pocket expenses in the long term. The CHIP mandates:
- Promote regional preventative care visits through education about the value of annual exams and screenings in 2026. This expands to include health fairs and screening events in 2027, with a 2028 assessment. The success benchmark begins at a 0.5% annual increase in visits from County residents.
- Bolster the primary healthcare workforce by determining regions with low provider-to-patient ratios in 2026. Partner with healthcare systems and/or university medical institutions to develop residency opportunities in these areas in 2027, and then assess progress in 2028. The program targets a 1% annual increase in primary care providers where they are most needed.
- Foster an increase in Medicaid enrollment for children through outreach campaigns at schools, healthcare facilities, and social services during 2026 and 2027.The 2028 evaluation aims for a 2% annual increase on children enrolled in Medicaid.
These ambitious initiatives have begun rolling out in Columbiana County with dedicated support from local organizations. Time will tell how successful the CHIP programs are at their intended purposes, or how programs like it will fare across the United States.
Sources:
https://www.columbiana-health.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-2028-CHIP-FINAL120225.pdf
https://www.healthpolicyohio.org/files/publications/datasnapshotsuicidefinal.pdf
https://www.healthpolicyohio.org/files/publications/databriefleadingcausesfinal.pdf