The Community Spotlight for October features a cost-saving sustainable approach for mosquito control, healthy food production and dealing with abandoned swimming pools in Orange County. DOH-Orange’s Environmental Health and Epidemiology staff members partnered with United Global Outreach in Bithlo to install a hydroponic system. Fish in this system create waste that supports growth of 650 units of leafy greens. The fish will stay in the system for a while and then will be moved to abandoned swimming pools to feast on mosquito larva and reduce the mosquito population. This system is sustainable as new fish are moved in, more leafy greens are produced and old fish are moved to abandoned swimming pools.

The recently-released State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) is a five-year plan that engages public health system stakeholders to collectively address Florida’s top health priorities. Consisting of diverse partners from throughout the state, the SHIP Steering Committee meets throughout the five-year timeframe to ensure objectives are being met. The SHIP is structured by eight priority areas interwoven with health equity concepts that address health disparities. The priority areas are: Health Equity; Maternal and Child Health; Immunizations; Injury, Safety and Violence; Healthy Weight, Nutrition and Physical Activity; Behavioral Health (includes Mental Illness and Substance Abuse); Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Other Infectious Diseases; and Chronic Disease and Conditions (includes Tobacco-Related Illnesses and Cancer). Each priority area has a priority area workgroup (PAW) comprised of subject matter experts and managed by an internal and external co-chair. The subject matter experts work collaboratively to determine the PAW’s goals, strategies and objectives for the SHIP and track their progress throughout the range of the plan.

Please follow these links to access the SHIP Executive Summary, SHIP Goals, Strategies and Objectives, and SHA Key Findings.