Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP)

Active Living in the community focuses on policy, systems and environmental changes to improve access to physical active opportunities and infrastructure changes to support an active lifestyle. Successes of our partnerships and support include:

• Implementation of the Active Living Ramsey Communities Bike and Pedestrian Plan, through an All Abilities Transportation Network training and supporting implementation into comprehensive plans. 
   
• City of Saint Paul Pedestrian Plan to provide a blueprint of projects to encourage walking.
   
• Local cities and school districts to implement Safe Routes to School efforts. 

Resources

• Active Living Ramsey Communities 

Public health works extensively with Ramsey County’s five school districts to develop initiatives that increase access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity. Schools have pursued a variety of common strategies as well as unique efforts that meet the individual needs of their district or schools. Strategies include:

• Formation of wellness teams and champions to identify, create and implement work plans to increase access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities and compliance to district wellness policies.
   
• Safe Routes to School promoting walking or biking to school, and targeted programs to engage specific at-risk students in physical activity, increase participation of Walk/Bike to School Day.

School Wellbeing Assessment

Mental Health is a significant component of wellbeing and the long-term mental health impacts of the COVID pandemic are still being understood, including in the school setting. During the 2023-24 school year, a qualitative assessment was conducted regarding the status of mental health and wellbeing in 15 public schools. A total of 80 individuals were interviewed from four public school districts in Ramsey County. The goal was to collect input from teachers, staff and administrators to inform Ramsey County SHIP’s allocation of financial resources to support school students and staff.

• School Wellbeing Assessment - Final Report (PDF)
• School Wellbeing Assessment - Executive Summary (PDF)

Public health is working with the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (SPACC) to provide technical support and grants to encourage healthier environments for their employees. Projects include:

•  Gardening implementation at worksites so employees can get active and try new fruits and vegetables.
   
• Implement use of a Nursing Mothers’ Room to support breastfeeding for new moms, as well as use by employees for relaxation.
   
•  Physical activity stations, so that during break times employees can have a space to be active, as well as supporting walking meeting.
   
• Wellness committee formation and support so the changes are sustainable.

Resources

• Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (SPACC) - workplace wellness information

Community-clinical linkages works within the Health Care system to provide new ways to better support Ramsey County residents. These changes help clinics do things differently, usually through systems changes or trainings. Our partnership successes include:  

• Institute for Clinical Systems Implements (ICSI) to develop two patient handouts containing culturally informed recommendations to promote healthy eating, physical activity and tobacco cessation; including a Hmong focused and a U.S. born African American documents that clinics can use when offering care. 

 Resources 

• African American Patient Handout (PDF)
• Culturally Informed Clinical Practices for Healthy Hmong Lifestyles (PDF)
• Healthy Hmong Lifestyles - Patient Handout (PDF)

Adult Health Survey

The report below is the analysis of a health survey conducted in October-December 2021 that includes aggregated responses from approximately 1000 Ramsey County residents. Topics include data on general health, physical health, mental health, chronic health conditions, health care access, tobacco use, exercise, and nutrition.

• Adult Health Survey (PDF)

Health Equity Data Analysis

Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health (SPRCPH) was selected as a pilot site to conduct a Health Equity Data Analysis (HEDA). U.S.-born African Americans living in Saint Paul were chosen as the population for this project. The following report presents a variety of health data that illustrate harsh health disparities facing this population and goes on to explain why these disparities are not merely differences based on chance but are inequitable and avoidable.

• Health Equity Data Analysis, 2017 (PDF)

Latino Community Action Plan

During 2015, a Latino Chronic Disease Prevention Community Action Plan was created in partnership with Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES) and Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health SHIP along with an Advisory Committee made up of various organizations. The plan highlights action steps that can be taken to improve health in the areas of healthy eating, physical activity, and reduction of tobacco use and exposure.

• Latino Community Action Plan - Chronic Disease Prevention in Ramsey County, 2015 (PDF)