NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 12, 2014

Contact: Veronica Mikitka, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 215.434.7194

PHMC partners with the University of Delaware and Delaware's Division of Public Health to Establish the State's First Public Health Institute

PHILADELPHIA, PA— Public Health Management Corporation, a nonprofit public health institute (PHI) that creates and sustains healthier communities, has partnered with the University of Delaware, College of Health Sciences (CHS) and the State of Delaware, Division of Public Health, to create the Delaware Public Health Institute (DPHI). DPHI is the state's first PHI and was named a member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI), a membership-based forum for PHIs.

As the only PHI in Pennsylvania, PHMC has fostered relationships with government, foundations, businesses and community-based organizations throughout its more than 40-year history. With nearly 2,000 employees, 350 programs, 12 affiliates and 200,000 clients served annually, PHMC has become one of the largest PHIs in the nation. With PHMC's experience and CHS's state connections, this partnership will serve to connect Delaware and Pennsylvania's public health programming in a meaningful way, creating an approach to deliver optimal health outcomes that crosses state lines and serves both regions.

"The formation of Delaware's first PHI is significant for PHMC and NNPHI as this is the first time a PHI in one state created a PHI in another state," said Francine Axler, PHMC's Managing Director, Public Health Institute and PHMC Center for Data Innovation. "This new, innovative PHI allows PHMC to expand geographic reach, using our experience to help improve the population health in a neighboring region."

The overarching goal for all PHI's is to enhance population health across a region. To best serve the needs of this community, the DPHI executive board, which includes PHMC, University of Delaware College of Health Science Dean, the Director of the University's Nurse Managed Health Center, a State Senator and the Delaware State Division of Public Health, will create a targeted vision and mission and assemble a diverse advisory board from various organizations and sectors across the state.

PHMC and CHS will work collaboratively to initiate projects including: the development of a household health survey of residents across the state to identify unmet public health needs, and the creation of an online community health data base to store the results in an easily accessible way. These projects will be modeled after PHMC's long-standing Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey and Community Health Data Base. In addition, DPHI has been selected to lead the analysis of the Robert Wood Foundation's County Health Rankings results for the State of Delaware. This honor allows DPHI to immediately review current population health disparities across the state.

"We are excited to have the Delaware Public Health Institute as part of our expanding network as they work to improve the public's health in and around Delaware," said Vincent Lafronza, President and CEO, NNPHI. "CHS's commitment to public health and PHMC's vast experience will help foster DPHI's growth, and we look forward to their success."

About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.

About the National Network of Public Health Institutes
Created in 2001 as a forum for public health institutes (PHIs), today NNPHI convenes its members and partners at the local, state, and national levels in efforts to address critical health issues. NNPHI's mission is to support national public health system initiatives and strengthen PHIs to promote multi-sector activities resulting in measurable improvements of public health structures, systems, and outcomes. Learn more about NNPHI and its member institutes at www.nnphi.org.

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