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The MAPP (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships) team has been actively engaging community members to better understand how different populations experience our community—its strengths, the built environment and the forces of change that influence health. Forces of change are factors outside our direct control that affect community health and the local public health system.

Insights gathered through these conversations are being combined with quantitative data to tell a comprehensive story of our community. This work will culminate in the Community Health Assessment (CHA), which will inform priority areas for the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).

To date, eight focus groups have been completed or scheduled and include perspectives from youth, individuals who are unhoused or housing insecure, African Americans, first- and second-generation Hispanic immigrants, individuals with lived experience of substance use and recovery and members of the LGBTQ+ community. In the coming weeks, we will also conduct Key Informant Interviews with Asian Americans, seniors and people with disabilities to ensure broad and inclusive representation.

We are also excited to share that we are in the process of acquiring Metopio, a powerful data platform that will allow us to develop, share and track the CHA and CHIP more effectively with the community. Metopio includes a Health Atlas that will provide organizations and community members with access to a wide range of Lake County health data. This tool will support analysis of focus group findings and allow us to triangulate qualitative insights with health and social data as part of the CHA development.

While the Metopio acquisition process is taking longer than anticipated, resulting in a revised timeline, the work is continuing! The updated target is to complete the CHA by June 2026, followed by the CHIP in early 2027. These changes will also require adjustments to upcoming Quarterly Network meetings and MAPP Steering Committee meetings.

We appreciate your continued patience and flexibility—and, most importantly, your partnership—as this important work moves forward!
For questions about Metopio or the CHA and CHIP planning, please contact Christina Hayes, Strategic Planning & Quality Improvement Manager, at chayes2@lakecountyil.gov.
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