2016 Community Health Improvement Plan and Health Assessment 

The St. Lawrence County Community Health Improvement Coalition, Bridge to Wellness, is an active committee with twenty‐six participating organizations including public health, higher education, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and community based organizations. Meetings are facilitated by the local Public Health Department, and St. Lawrence County Health Initiative, Inc. The partners work collaboratively to plan, implement, and oversee the St. Lawrence County Community Health Improvement Plan and Community Service Plan(s).

This year the Bridge to Wellness Coalition partnered with the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO) to develop an appropriate regional needs assessment that would guide a strong data driven Health Improvement Plan in St. Lawrence County, and be incorporated into a Health Assessment using State and National Data Sources. Considering the Assessment results, and the capacity of the region, Bridge to Wellness Coalition identified priorities for the 2016‐2018 plan as 'Prevent Chronic Disease' and 'Promote Mental Health and Prevent Substance Abuse'. While these are the same priorities the coalition identified in 2013, the 2016 plan is streamlined and identifies additional opportunities to improve the health of targeted residents. The coalition‐researched interventions are grounded in evidence and activities include environmental, systems, and policy change.

In each priority area, education and involvement from the community at large is integral to the success of each intervention. Bridge to Wellness partners will disseminate regular reports to the community through online media, print publications, radio, and in-person education. The partners will oversee and govern the evaluation of this plan on a monthly basis.

VIEW THE 2016 REPORT HERE