A state Health Department plan to improve health outcomes for all residents includes a goal of making health care more accessible over the next five years.
The Pennsylvania State Health Improvement Plan, or SHIP, outlines objectives and strategies to help those in the state live a healthier lifestyle.
“The department’s vision is to create a healthy Pennsylvania for all," Acting Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen said. “Achieving that vision will take all of us working with people and organizations across the commonwealth to increase opportunities for people to access quality health care, impactful programs, and needed resources.”
Improving health, life expectancy
Health Department Secretary Press Secretary Mark O’Neill said, "It's a very inclusive philosophy of doing everything that we possibly can to make sure that the people of Pennsylvania have good health outcomes.”
O’Neill said health systems, those working in healthcare and organizations across the state are providing services to achieve those better outcomes.
“Nutrition and other available services, availability of health care, being able to see a doctor whether or not you're rich or poor," he said. "Doesn't matter where you come from, what your lifestyle is, you should have the opportunity to have access to health which can better your life."
The SHIP details plans to improve the health and life expectancy of state residents and while striving to eliminate health inequities.
Nine goals have been laid out to be addressed by 2028:
- Increase financial well-being, food security and safe affordable housing
- Increase community safety by reducing the number of violent incidences that occur due to racism, discrimination or domestic disputes
- Improve environmental health, focusing on environmental justice communities
- Increase the population at a healthy weight through increasing availability and accessibility of physical activity and affordable nutritious food
- Reduce the impact of tobacco and nicotine use
- Increase access to medical and oral health care
- Improve mental health and substance use outcomes through improved mental health services, trauma-informed trainings and substance use interventions
- Improve health outcomes through improved chronic diseases management
- Improve maternal and infant health outcomes by improving prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care
'A healthy life for everyone'
O’Neil, the press secretary, said there are three priority categories at this time — health equity, whole-person care and chronic disease prevention.
“Health equity is eliminating health disparities, by providing, again, every person the same opportunity to live a healthy life,” O’Neill said. “That's regardless of where you live, your religion, your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, anything. I want to make sure that there's an opportunity for a healthy life for everyone.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office also has proposed funds to support the plan in other areas, such as $2.3 million to expand maternal health programming and study ways to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, $500 million over the next five years for mental health services for students and $16 million to increase the minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefit by 50%, among other investments.
More about the State Health Improvement Plan can be found at the state Health Department website.
