About the Partnership
The Tioga County Partnership for Community Health (Partnership) is a countywide network of individuals, community leaders, health care providers, human service personnel, business representatives, and government leaders whose mission is to foster strong community relationships to address the physical, social, mental, and environmental health needs of Tioga County, Pennsylvania.
Collaboration is the hallmark of the Partnership. Making connections and facilitating cooperative work among our various partnering individuals and organizations, fosters a better utilization of county resources to the greater benefit of Tioga County residents. This collaborative work is accomplished through the workgroups of the Partnership which address health and quality of life issues across the lifespan.
Since its inception, the Partnership’s work has been characterized by:
- A clear mission based on shared values, commitments, goals and objectives. (See the Holistic Goal here.)
- A willingness to try innovative solutions in pursuit of its vision.
- A positive collaborative spirit that has moved the partners past self-interests to a focus on shared community interests.
- Consistently strong volunteer leadership and broad community involvement.
Partnership History
In 1993, individuals from the Laurel Health System, Mansfield University, and the Tioga County Human Services Agency began planning for a community health partnership that would define and address health needs in the community. The goal was to develop a countywide health plan that would demonstrate ways in which unrelated providers of service could work together to meet health and social service needs.
Additional agencies and members of the community, such as the North Central Area Education Center, the PA Department of Health, and the Tioga County Development Corporation along with many others, quickly joined the effort and the Tioga County Partnership for Community health was formed.
By 1995, the Partnership had been chosen, as one of only 25 sites from a diverse range of communities across the United States, to participate in the Kellogg National Community Care Network Demonstration Program. In 1997, the Partnership was awarded a Health Resources and Services administration Rural Network Development grant in order to expand the efforts initiated during the Community Care Network project and to continue development of a countywide health plan.
In the same year, the Partnership was selected to serve as one of seven pilot sites for the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). SHIP explored how community partnerships and the Department of Health could collaborate to make a positive impact and develop creative solutions to local health problems.
In 1998, the Partnership formed a board of directors, an executive committee and a finance committee to oversee operations. A full-time executive director and support staff was hired to coordinate activities, ensure representation from all potential members and organizations, and gather input from the communities being served.
The Partnership was incorporated in October 2000 as a public nonprofit 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, and currently boasts membership of more than 500 individuals and 30 organizations.
Partnership members meet monthly as representatives of 6 work groups, each of which addresses a specific health or quality of life issue. Work group chairs hold seats on the board of directors. The board also includes five at-large members elected from and by the full Partnership and one director from each full member organization and each founding member organization.
One Tioga County Commissioner also sits on the board of directors. An executive committee is selected from the board of directors and reviews and guides the activities of the executive director and staff.