Chittenden County Collective Impact Team

Substance Use

Aug 18

Utilizing skills and support provided through NLAPH, Penrose Jackson and the Chittenden County Collective Impact Team have expanded from addressing food insecurity in their community to championing health equity through a focus on the social determinants of health. As part of NLAPH’s second cohort during the 2013-2014 program year, Jackson and her team focused on addressing negative population health trends, such as substance abuse, unhealthy weight, and other lifestyle issues. The team devoted their efforts to improving health equity in Chittenden County, Vermont, and chose to begin by addressing hunger in their community. Throughout the program year, the team worked to educate and inspire members of their community to address local food insecurity. At the end of their program year, the team reported that participating in the program’s curriculum, in particular the webinars and team coaching, was instrumental in increasing the team’s leadership capacity.

Building on the success and momentum from their time in NLAPH, the Chittenden County Collective Impact Team continued to grow their efforts to reduce food insecurity and improve community health equity. As a means to improve the sustainability of their work, the majority of the team now participates in a workgroup that is part of the Hunger Coalition, an organization committed to making measurable improvement in reducing the persistence of hunger in the team’s region. Alongside the work addressing food insecurity, the team has strived to implement a higher level of leadership within their network of colleagues, who focus on addressing opioid abuse, homelessness, and child protection within their community. Using the skills and experiences provided through the program, Penrose and the Chittenden team have continued to advocate for and champion health equity in their community.

Published July 3, 2023