Douglas County leaders are taking a comprehensive look at the health of our community through a process called the community health assessment, which includes compiling health data, convening focus groups and distributing a Health Issues Survey.
“By taking the Health Issues Survey, community residents will help shape our community’s health priorities for the next several years,” said Community Health Director Chris Tilden, of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department. “Results will be used by local government, public health, health care providers and other agencies in our community as they develop policies and programs to meet community needs.”
A steering committee of 28 people, who represent governmental, nonprofit, educational, faith- based and business organizations, is overseeing efforts between the Health Department and KU Work Group for Community Health and Development to collect information for the community health assessment, which will be completed in 2017.
The community health assessment will be used to create a five-year community health plan that will address the community’s priorities. The first community health assessment was completed in 2012, and the five priorities were: access to healthy foods, physical activity, mental health, access to health care and poverty/jobs. Strategies to address these priorities were outlined in the 2013-2018 community health plan, “Roadmap to a Healthier Douglas County.” The plan was adopted by Douglas County and the cities of Lawrence, Lecompton, Eudora and Baldwin City.
Health Department Director Dan Partridge said, “The Health Department along with collaborating partners from across the community have begun the process of creating a new community health plan. Health is an issue that cuts across sectors; therefore, we will be working with the community to create a vision for health.”
Here’s an approximate timeline for the current community health assessment process:
• Summer 2016 — Listening sessions were held in Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton.
• Sept. 1, 2016 — The steering committee met to review and approve the community health assessment process.
• Fall 2016 — Data will be collected through focus groups, a Health Issues Survey, existing statistics about health status and behaviors and a local public health systems assessment.
• Winter 2016/Spring 2017 — From the assessment results, the Steering Committee will prioritize community health issues for the next community health plan.
• May 2017 — The steering committee will conduct a final review and approval of the assessment report. The steering committee will then use the assessment results to begin working with community groups to draft a new community health plan.
• January 2018 — Submit community health plan for adoption by local governments.