ELIZABETHTOWN – The Essex County Health Department is inviting members of the community to participate in a community health needs assessment survey. The survey results will guide the work of the department and its health care partners in their goal to improve the health of Essex County residents.

“We want to know what challenges our neighbors face when trying to get and stay healthy,” said Linda Beers, director of public health for Essex County. “The more people we hear from, the better we will understand the root causes of health issues in our communities, and the more successful we will be in developing effective strategies to address those causes.”

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

The community health assessment process, conducted in partnership with Adirondack Health of Saranac Lake and Elizabethtown Community Hospital, will inform Essex County’s next community health improvement plan. The plan, to be released later 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. .

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

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