Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council, Inc. (CCSNPC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. Our goal is to enhance the well-being of individuals in the Chatham-Savannah community, focusing on vulnerable and high-need populations, through the development and execution of public health initiatives and programs.

Aligned with the priorities of both Chatham County and the City of Savannah governments, our projects address emerging needs across various sectors, including health and behavioral health, youth development, education, law enforcement, and first responders. Through collaboration, our initiatives aim to improve access to care, promote sustainable community resource growth, reduce disparities, and elevate overall quality of life.

Our Vision

The vision of the Planning Council is to create a resilient Chatham County through improved health outcomes by working together on common problems.

Our Mission

The mission of the Planning Council is to (1) develop an infrastructure to maximize access and utilization of health and behavioral health services, (2) implement effective population health and public health strategies through collaboration, and (3) leverage available resources and create community-focused solutions to assure improved health status for our residents.

Our History

In 2004, the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council (CCSNPC) was established by the former medical director of the Chatham County Health Department (CCHD)/Coastal Health District (CHD). Its aim: to enhance the Chatham County Commission’s capacity to meet the healthcare and behavioral health needs of its most vulnerable residents. Through fostering improved collaboration and support among safety net providers, CCSNPC has remained steadfast in its commitment to serving our county and the broader region with a community-based public health approach to population health.

In 2017, CCSNPC expanded its mission to include mental health. Since then, under the umbrella of Safety and Resilience programs, CCSNPC has employed the Prevention-Intervention-Postvention public health framework to design and implement evidence-based programs and best practices. These initiatives target health risk factors and promote well-being across the health and wellness continuum, with a focus on at-risk and high-risk populations.

In 2019, CCSNPC forged partnerships with the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition, Gateway Community Service Board, and Loop It Up Savannah to spearhead the Resilient Coastal Georgia (RCG) coalition, in alignment with Resilient Georgia, a statewide collaborative. RCG unites individuals and organizations across Chatham County and the surrounding Coastal Region working together to cultivate trauma-resilient communities. CCSNPC plays a key leadership role in guiding the strategic planning and execution of projects and programs that align with the mission of RCG and the Chatham County community at large.

What we do

• Development and implementation of educational and skills-building programs
• Formation of coalitions and collaboratives to tackle community needs
• Management of projects focused on capacity building and resource development in physical, mental, and social health realms
• Referral of organizations to the Georgia Regional Academic Community Health Information Exchange (GRAChIE), a third-party HIE provider
• Creation of resources outlining community services
• Provision of prosocial activities for youth and adolescents through partnerships with youth-serving organizations
• Organization and participation in community events such as health and resource fairs, symposia, and back-to-school events
• Evaluation of safety net providers for the Chatham County Board of Commissioners

What we do NOT do

• Direct provision of healthcare or behavioral healthcare services
• Storage of client/patient data
• Operation of crisis lines or mobile crisis services
• Management of youth centers or residential facilities

Board of Directors

• Albert Grandy, CEO, Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care, Chair
• Dr. Rena M. Douse, CEO, J.C. Lewis Primary Health Care Center, Vice Chair
• Michael O’Neal, Executive Director, Parent University, Treasurer
• Lydia McCrary, Deputy Chief, Chatham County Emergency Management System, Secretary
• Ashley Allen, COO, Gateway Behavioral Health Services
• Dr. Chris Rustin, Administrator, Chatham County Health Department
• Lori Conaway, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Memorial Health University Medical Center

Our Staff

• Vira Salzburn, Executive Director: virasalzburn@chlink.org
• Dan Gilbert, Program Outreach and AmeriCorps VISTA: dangilbert@chlink.org
• Tara Jones, REAL Program Manager: tarajones@chlink.org