Red Wing, MN (August, 2022) – Minnesota is consistently ranked as one of the healthiest states in the nation, and the state has a strong local public health system. Our local public health departments have a long history of assessing the health of their communities and using the results to address community needs. Community assessments work to ensure that the specific health needs of the community are addressed. Through this process, our local public health departments gain a great deal of information about their communities so they can work to address identified priorities.
County Health Rankings, released their 2022 data reporting Goodhue County’s overall health outcome ranking was 45 out of the 87 counties being in the lower middle range of counties in Minnesota. County Health Rankings is an easy-to-use snapshot that compares health related measures between counties and the state levels. This year’s State Rankings show that Goodhue County is lacking in some health measures, such as affordable housing, physical inactivity, and not enough mental health providers. The County Rankings call attention to the health topics that are low compared to other counties and state levels.
This summer, as part of a Community Health Assessment process, Goodhue County Health and Human Services (HHS) is working to address the top health issue affecting the county and this lower middle health outcome ranking. HHS has created a list of 10 health issues based on community needs and the County Health Rankings and is in the process of narrowing down to the #1 health issue in the county based off what community members identify as the biggest need.
HHS is doing this by collecting community feedback and data by attending engaging summer events throughout the county and seeing what the community identifies as the top health issue. Out of the list of 10 health issues, community members are able to give input on what they see as the biggest health problem needing to be addressed. The 10 health measures that HHS is looking to focus on and get feedback from the community on this summer are:
Poverty
Drug and Alcohol Use
Education Access and Quality
Health Care Access and Quality
Trust In Public Health
Housing
Mental Health
Physical Activity
Discrimination and Social Connection
Violence and Child Abuse
With a list of the top 10 ranked health issues in the county and the help of community feedback, HHS is determined to narrow in and identify the top #1 health issue that affects the community and then create an improvement plan. Some of the events that HHS attended this summer to gather this data from community feedback were River City Days, Goodhue County Fair, surrounding Farmers Markets, and more.
Identifying the biggest health related issue in the county is important in order to meet the needs of the community and improve everyday life. By the end of summer, HHS will have identified the top health issues in the community needing to be addressed and will be working through the Community Health Assessment process as part of the ongoing strategic planning process for improving community health.
About Goodhue County Health and Human Services:
The mission of Goodhue County Health and Human Services is to “Promote, Protect and Strengthen the Health of Individuals, Families, and Communities.” The department has four service divisions: Economic Assistance, Public Health, Social Services, and HHS Finance/IT. For more information on Goodhue County Health & Human Services, please visit HYPERLINK "http://www.co.goodhue.mn.us" www.co.goodhue.mn.us.
