May 13, 2024
El Paso County Public Health releases 2023 Community Health Assessment
Data and partnerships at the forefront of strategies to improve the health of residents across El Paso County communities
El Paso County, CO – El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) is releasing the 2023 Community Health Assessment (CHA), which utilizes local data to describe the overall health of El Paso County communities.
The goal of the CHA is to identify key health needs and issues through systematic, comprehensive data collection and analysis. The CHA is achieved through the work of the Healthy Community Collaborative (HCC), a multi-disciplinary group—led by EPCPH—comprised of more than 60 representatives from local schools, hospitals, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, economic development and interested citizens. To inform the development of the CHA, EPCPH and the HCC worked together to assess local data on the key factors which impact health, including the conditions and places where people live, learn, work, pray and play, all of which are integral to health, well-being, and quality of life.
“Working closely with partners, our agency’s goal is to serve as a credible data hub, increasing access to local data and developing strategies to support the health of the communities we serve. As part of a larger public health system—looking to make lasting and impactful change—our vision is for all El Paso County residents to live in thriving communities where every person has the opportunity to achieve optimal health,” said EPCPH Executive Director Susan Wheelan, MBA.
Community health focus areas: four key leading health issues
As part of the CHA process, EPCPH and the HCC identified and analyzed nearly 60 different health indicators. Following a thorough assessment, combined with looking at community needs and resources, the HCC selected four leading health areas:
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Barriers to accessing health care
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Suicide
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Drug overdose
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Housing stability
“The support of our many partners throughout the HCC has been instrumental in completing an assessment which well reflects the health needs of our community,” said EPCPH Public Health Planner Rubba Ahram. “We cannot achieve this work alone, and we are grateful for the expertise and dedication from the HCC throughout this process.”
The CHA and CHIP are completed every five years, as statutorily required by the Colorado Public Health Act. The full report outlining each identified area and its impacts to our communities can be found on the El Paso County Public Health website.
To learn more about the HCC, visit www.elpasocountyhealth.org/about-public-health/healthy-community-collaborative/.