Blueprint for Health
South Carolina is ranked poorly, number 44 out of 50, in overall health (America’s Health Rankings, 2017).
South Carolina is on the record for having some of the poorest health outcomes in the nation. South Carolina’s rural communities fare even worse in comparison to their urban counterparts. Why do our communities fare so poorly even after years of federal, state and local investments? What forces influence a population’s health and make it harder to be healthy in some rural communities? To answer these questions, SCORH, with funding provided by the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation, an independent licensee of the BlueCross and Blue Shield Association, works with rural communities through the Blueprint for Health program.
Program Goals:
- To address the social determinants of health in rural communities
- To build capacity at the community level by engaging a multi and cross sector group of individuals (coalition)
Services provided:
We know that strong leadership, effective coalitions, a clear vision and deep understanding of community issues are hallmarks of strong, resilient communities in rural places across the country. Started in 2015, Blueprint for Health recently expanded and now provides support to five rural communities across the state. The training and technical assistance provided are focused in three areas:
- Building and enhancing local leadership teams;
- Developing and implementing community projects focused on the social determinants of health; and
- Supporting the creation of a long-term vision (or “Blueprint”) for community health for all.
We are thrilled for the opportunity to work alongside rural leaders from across the state from these Blueprint for Health communities:
- Eat Smart Move More Barnwell County
- Lancaster County’s Coalition for Healthy Youth
- Lee County’s Rural Leadership and Interagency Council
- Healthy Oconee
- Rural Area Leadership Initiative (RALI) Dillon County
