The Peru Gazette

The two top priority health issues that were identified through the assessment were: Prevent Chronic Diseases and Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders

Clinton County, January 23, 2023. The Clinton County Health Department (CCHD), along with UVM Health Network-CVPH, its partner in community health assessment and planning, is pleased to announce the release of the 2022-2024 Clinton County Community Health Assessment. A community health assessment (CHA) provides a comprehensive picture of a community’s health status, factors leading to health inequities and resources available to improve health. The assessment also includes the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), which details interventions and activities that a variety of partners will take on collectively in an effort to improve the overall health of residents. 

The process to complete the assessment and plan in Clinton County takes approximately 14 months and includes a resident health survey, a stakeholder survey, a review of over 300 health indicators, a community health priority-setting session and the creation of shared action plans. 

The two top priority health issues that were identified through the assessment were: Prevent Chronic Diseases and Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders, the same priority areas featured in the 2019-2021 CHA. 

“The current assessment and improvement plan most definitely reflect an update to what we know about health in our community and what we feel we need to do about it versus an overhaul in our thinking,” states Mandy Snay, Director of Health Planning & Promotion at CCHD. “Priority areas have not changed for several assessment cycles, which continues to speak to the complexity of the issues and solutions needed to make a lasting impact.” 

Despite no change in priority health issues, there were small changes made to the process that are reflected in the final documents. For example, survey tools were adjusted to improve the type of analysis that could be done. For the first time, virtual attendance options were offered for priority-setting events to maximize participation. These small changes allowed assessment leaders to better understand resident concerns, inequities and service gaps. Ms. Snay adds, “We were able to use this deeper understanding to expand the assessment’s ‘Community Profile’, which, in my opinion, is the most important piece of the assessment as it informs the action plans of the CHIP.” The current CHIP contains six action plans. 

The Clinton County 2022-2024 Community Health Assessment and the resulting community health improvement plan can be found at www.clintonhealth.org/pdf%20files/CHA_CHIP.pdf