Elizabethtown, NY – Essex County Health Department invites community members to participate in a community health needs assessment survey. Results from the survey will guide the work of Essex County Health Department (ECHD) and its healthcare partners in improving the health of Essex County residents.

“We want to know what challenges our neighbors face when trying to get and stay healthy,” said ECHD Director of Public Health Linda Beers. “The more people we hear from, the better we will understand the root causes of the health issues in our communities and the more likely we will be successful in developing effective strategies to address these causes.”

Participation is voluntary and anonymous. Community members can access the secure online survey through the end of May at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ECCHA22. Paper copies will be made available at local libraries and at ECHD beginning in April. They can also be requested by calling the health department at 518-873-3500.

The community health assessment process, led in partnership with Adirondack Health (AH) and the University of Vermont Health Network - Elizabethtown Community Hospital (ECH), will inform the next Essex County Community Health Improvement Plan. The plan, due out late this year, identifies health priorities and interventions that ECHD, AH, ECH and other healthcare organizations will implement to improve the overall health of the community.

“Everyone can participate in the community health planning process,” said Beers. “The health of our community is everyone’s responsibility. Your voice matters and will inform our shared priorities for the next three years.”

The planning process takes place every three years and has guided initiatives like the Essex County Well Fed program which helped make local produce more accessible to community members living with or at risk of developing chronic disease. More than 350 community members participated in the 2019 survey and identified substance abuse, access to healthcare, chronic diseases, and issues relating to aging as the top health challenges in the county.

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