HEALTH CARE Fort Bend County outlines 5 primary public health priorities
COUNTY HEALTH SNAPSHOT Eight hundred community survey responses and 25 key informant interviews were used as part of an expansive study. Its findings included physical and mental health statistics, which were used to inform the county’s public health priorities. 1,210 residents per mental health provider
30% of adults are considered obese 111.7 per 100,000 deaths caused by heart disease 60.7% of pregnant women receive early prenatal care
BY ASIA ARMOUR
Jacquelyn Johnson-Minter, director of health and human services, said in the 2022 CHA introduction that the COVID-19 pandemic brought physical health, mental health and economic struggles of Fort Bend County’s rapidly evolving community to the forefront. “The pandemic highlighted many areas where critical resources were lacking, and partnerships had to be resurrected or formed in order to succeed in keeping our community as healthy as possible during the most challenging health crisis of our lifetime,” Johnson-Minter said in the report’s introduction. During summer 2022, the health and human services department con- ducted a community survey to inform the CHA priorities. Each priority was developed based on community health figures compiled by public health organizations throughout the county. Then, from September to
For the first time since 2007, Fort Bend County’s Health and Human Services and 35 other community stakeholders collaborated to identify the county’s critical health needs. On April 21, the county released the 2022 Community Health Assess- ment—which indicated these five public health priorities for residents of Fort Bend County: Improve mental health by increas- ing access to services and providing education; Ensure safe and afford- able housing units are available for ownership and rent for the present and future residents of Fort Bend County; Improve health by decreasing obesity; Improve cardiovascular health by increasing awareness and access; Prevent pregnancy complications and maternal deaths, and improve women’s health before, during and after pregnancy.
3.6 mentally unhealthy days per month for average resident 26.5% of residents spend over 30% of income on housing
SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
December, the department engaged community members to develop an action plan for each priority area. Furthermore, over 150 Fort Bend County leaders, residents, stakehold- ers and health champions represented 70 organizations in community input sessions that determined objectives and strategies for the Community Health Improvement Plan. Ten total objectives to improve com- munity health were developed from this data and are outlined in the com- munity plan. The plan is intended to
provide a long-term, systematic effort to address public health problems based on results from the assessment, according to county documents and the Public Health Accreditation Board. According to the report, the county’s objective is to improve many of its prioritized community health issues by 2026, including access to services, education and awareness. The full 2022 CHA and accompa- nying reports can be found on the county’s health and human services department webpage.
512-232-5000 EdServices@austin.utexas.edu
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KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION • MAY 2023
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