Dr. Jim Peacock

I mean, I could jump in first, Dan, and thanks for that really warm introduction there. From a state health department perspective, when I came to MDH in 2007, we were in the middle of implementing a state plan. And I think that they largely were born, at least here in Minnesota, out of a necessity as a deliverable for the funding we receive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I mean, I could jump in first, Dan, and thanks for that really warm introduction there. From a state health department perspective, when I came to MDH in 2007, we were in the middle of implementing a state plan. And I think that they largely were born, at least here in Minnesota, out of a necessity as a deliverable for the funding we receive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC tends to fund programs in silos within a disease. So there's a CVH program, a diabetes program, cancer programs, and so on. And an important part of receiving that funding was to create a coordinated comprehensive plan for how you'll address those conditions in your state, bringing in community, clinical, public health support and information to design that.

CDC tends to fund programs in silos within a disease. So there's a CVH program, a diabetes program, cancer programs, and so on. And an important part of receiving that funding was to create a coordinated comprehensive plan for how you'll address those conditions in your state, bringing in community, clinical, public health support and information to design that.

CDC has moved away from that in recent years and requiring states to do that. But I think what was exciting here is that, you know, what is it, four years ago, pre-COVID, we asked that question of folks in cardiovascular health if they felt it was important.

CDC has moved away from that in recent years and requiring states to do that. But I think what was exciting here is that, you know, what is it, four years ago, pre-COVID, we asked that question of folks in cardiovascular health if they felt it was important.

And we heard a resounding yes, even though it's not required by the funder for MDH's work, that it was an important way to bring together many partners across Minnesota.

And we heard a resounding yes, even though it's not required by the funder for MDH's work, that it was an important way to bring together many partners across Minnesota.

Yeah, I can take an attempt at that answer first, Clarence. When Courtney and I joined back in 2007, and Courtney, I'd forgotten about that. So thank you for bringing that back to mind for me that we have a history going back 16 years.

Yeah, I can take an attempt at that answer first, Clarence. When Courtney and I joined back in 2007, and Courtney, I'd forgotten about that. So thank you for bringing that back to mind for me that we have a history going back 16 years.

The plan that was developed that was in place from 2010 through 2020 had a lot of engagement from many members of the professional clinical community, from academic settings, from public health, and not a lot of input from folks in the community that are working with populations that are experiencing disparities or populations that lack access to services.

The plan that was developed that was in place from 2010 through 2020 had a lot of engagement from many members of the professional clinical community, from academic settings, from public health, and not a lot of input from folks in the community that are working with populations that are experiencing disparities or populations that lack access to services.

And this change that we made with this new plan being developed as we centered the community voice in not only how we collected information, the people we brought together to discuss what was really going on, what do people need to be healthy in the community?

And this change that we made with this new plan being developed as we centered the community voice in not only how we collected information, the people we brought together to discuss what was really going on, what do people need to be healthy in the community?

Many times people aren't thinking about, oh, I've got heart disease, but they're thinking about, oh, my blood pressure might be a little bit higher. I'm not able to eat the healthy foods or I don't have access to those. We wanted to bring those voices in to identify community based solutions to these problems that are happening way before someone would intersect with the health care system.

Many times people aren't thinking about, oh, I've got heart disease, but they're thinking about, oh, my blood pressure might be a little bit higher. I'm not able to eat the healthy foods or I don't have access to those. We wanted to bring those voices in to identify community based solutions to these problems that are happening way before someone would intersect with the health care system.

How can we help someone feel good and have access to those things to be healthy? So those voices were brought initially, and that's how we centered the plan outcomes, which there are 10 of them. I think we'll maybe talk a little bit about those later.

How can we help someone feel good and have access to those things to be healthy? So those voices were brought initially, and that's how we centered the plan outcomes, which there are 10 of them. I think we'll maybe talk a little bit about those later.

But they're really centered in a way that makes it so many different people could look at the plan and say, hey, there's something I can do in this space. I'm not a clinician.

But they're really centered in a way that makes it so many different people could look at the plan and say, hey, there's something I can do in this space. I'm not a clinician.