Community Health Planning 
This area of the Berrien County Health Department is focused on interaction and collaboration with community health care partners. Short and long range planning for the improvement of the public’s health is the role of the Director of Community Health Planning. Planning is focused is several distinct areas including grant development, legislative action, and several community wide initiatives.
- Grant Development: Programs at the health department are often offered free of charge and to offset the cost of such programs, grant funding is needed. The Health Department, under Community Health Planning, applies for grants from local foundations, Michigan statewide departments such as the Department of Community Health, national foundations such as Kellogg or Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Federal Government.
- Legislative Action: Since the Health Department is a government agency, we are affected by the many changes in government locally, at the state level or federally. Therefore, Community Health Planning involves learning about our representation and the issues they face in their government roles. The Berrien County Health Department communicates with legislators about the ways certain legislation or funding decisions will affect the health of Berrien County residents. We work with the Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH) to follow important issues. MALPH
- Community Wide Initiatives
- Smoke Free Berrien County: On June 1, 2007 the Berrien County Clean Indoor Air Regulation went into effect significantly decreasing the amount of second hand smoke present in Berrien County businesses and public places. Beginning May 1, 2010 all of Michigan will enjoy smoke free air.
 Lead Safe Kids: Benton Harbor is the second worst of the 13 targeted communities in Michigan for significantly high numbers of children who are lead poisoned. The Lead Safe Kids Coalition is doing something about it! To join the Lead Safe Kids Coalition, or to learn more about protecting kids from lead poisoning, contact the Health Department.
- Public Health Community Education: The Berrien County Health Department is working to improve community health education through the media and is collaborating with many media sources to 'get the word out' about important health department happenings, and what you can do to live a healthy life.
- Healthy Berrien Consortium (HBC) is a network of key health care organizations and leaders formed to jointly undertake improving the health and well-being of Berrien County residents.
- Obesity Initiatives: The health department has joined many community partners to address the growing epidemic of obesity and overweight in our community. We are working directly with Benton Harbor schools through several initiatives and have joined We Can! Healthy Berrien
Contact Person:
Theresa Green, AA-C, MBA Director of Community Health Planning
769 Pipestone
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Email: tgreen@bchdmi.org
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