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November 25, 2015

Population Health Trust hosts first listening session December 1 in Anacortes

SKAGIT COUNTY – If you have opinions to share regarding vital elements of a healthy community, members of the Skagit County Population Health Trust invite you to share them at upcoming community listening sessions in three cities.

These public sessions, beginning with a December 1 event in Anacortes, are scheduled following publication of a 100-page “quality of life” report from the Population Health Trust. This report was written for the Skagit County Board of Health after surveying more than 1,500 local residents.

In October a group of 90 community and Trust members participated in a data analysis event known as a “Data Carousel.” The result of this work yielded 12 health concerns that will be the primary focus of the three listening sessions.

Sponsors of the survey were the 28 volunteer members of the Skagit County Population Health Trust Advisory Committee, established in January 2015.

Skagit County Community Health Analyst David Jefferson notes that the survey represented a “giant first step” in an ongoing campaign to present community leaders with “credible, actionable information” about local challenges.

“Our long term goal is to identify a few key priorities that our board and the community can agree on that will improve health for the people of Skagit County,” said Jefferson.

Right now Jefferson and Population Health Trust members are eager to hear firsthand from Skagit County residents about the health issues they see as priorities. Those in attendance will be asked to weigh in on the question of whether the 12 priority health concerns cited in their summary report covers citizen concerns about possible threats to a healthy community. They will also be asked to identify their “top three” priorities.

“We understand that people have a range of opinions regarding what they believe to be necessary elements of a healthy community,” said Jefferson. “We ask our neighbors to invest some time in review of our work to date, especially in the critical determination of priorities that include nutrition, housing, mental health and safety.”

The listening sessions will be held: December 1, Anacortes, 5:30-7:45 p.m. at the ESD Building, 1601 “R” Avenue; December 9, Sedro-Woolley, 5:30-7:45 p.m., Cascade Middle School; December 15, Mount Vernon, 5:30-7:45 p.m., Mount Vernon High School Cafeteria. The Mount Vernon forum will include Spanish interpreter services.

RSVP is not mandatory but helpful as food and beverages will be served: www.surveymonkey.com/r/PHTCommunityForums.

See www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/PHTAC for more information about the Population Health.