Olmsted County Public Health Services receives national recognition

Olmsted County Public Health Services (OCPHS) has been nationally recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its leadership in strengthening local public health systems. NACCHO’s annual Model and Promising Practices Awards honor outstanding initiatives that address critical community health needs. OCPHS was selected for its innovative regional population health data model, which is now considered a best practice statewide.  

In 2022, OCPHS partnered with 10 neighboring counties in southeastern Minnesota to address a longstanding challenge. Many smaller health departments in the region lack sufficient staffing and technical capacity to analyze complex public health data. Through two cycles of Minnesota’s Infrastructure Fund grants, OCPHS built a regional model that allows its epidemiologists and data analysts to produce, interpret, and share data on behalf of the entire region.  

“Receiving national recognition from NACCHO affirms the value of our regional data model and the collaborative effort behind it,” said OCPHS Associate Director Meaghan Sherden. “Our epidemiology team is proud to support neighboring counties with tools and insights that strengthen local public health decision making. This award reinforces that when we share expertise, we can help elevate the health of the entire region.”  

Over four years, the initiative transformed how local health departments access and use data. OCPHS established data sharing agreements with state and local partners, secured timely access to critical datasets, and developed public and restricted‑access data dashboards. These dashboards cover mental health, substance use, adolescent behavior, aging, and maternal‑child health. The project also introduced regional syndromic surveillance, which helps local health departments spot health concerns early by watching for trends across the region. This gives counties real‑time insight into suicide, overdose, and acute care trends in their communities. 

Collaboration was central to the model’s success. OCPHS worked closely with partnering counties’ leadership teams, the Minnesota Department of Health, county IT teams, Mayo Clinic’s Rochester Epidemiology Project, regional emergency medical service providers, and local public health staff to build user-friendly tools and ensure partners could easily interpret and apply the data.  

Counties within the region collectively identified priorities for the project, participated in hands‑on training, listening sessions, and peer‑learning opportunities that strengthened regional capacity and improved local planning. One of those participants, Wabasha County Public Health, saw clear benefits from the shared approach. 

“The shared dashboards and surveillance tools reflect what’s possible when regional partners come together with a common purpose,” said Wabasha County Public Health Director Tammy Fiedler. “By combining data and different expertise across counties and partner organizations, we’re able to spot emerging health concerns earlier, respond more effectively, and protect the health of our communities.”  

The model’s impact has extended beyond southeastern Minnesota. In response to its success, the State Community Health Services Advisory Committee voted to invest $1.6 million annually beginning in 2026. This allows all eight public health regions in Minnesota to establish their own data support models by providing $200,000 in annual funding to each region. 

For OCPHS, the NACCHO award reflects years of collaboration, innovation, and commitment to ensuring all communities have access to the data they need to protect and improve public health.