Summit County Health Department Strategic Plan

Priority #1 – Reduce Health Disparities

Ensuring that all areas of the county have equal access to health resources and expanding opportunities for county residents to improve their health:

• Providing health department clinic services on a full-time basis in the Coalville and Kamas areas.
• Expanding our health promotion work in the schools, including tobacco prevention.
• Continuing to support and grow access to locally-grown food through the Farm to School program and promoting east side farmers markets.
• Supporting the development of trails and walkable community efforts throughout the entire county, with a special focus on the east side.
• Educating and working to prevent hypertension through awareness campaigns and resources.

Making sure that all demographic groups throughout the county have equal access to these health-related resources:

• Ensuring that health department clinical services are available to all groups in Summit County.
• Providing vaccines for uninsured and underinsured residents of our county.
• Having translators present at our clinics for Spanish speakers.

Partnering with local organizations for projects focused on Latino groups.

Priority #2 – Advance Healthy Lifestyles

Supporting opportunities for all to be physically active through community exercise programs:

• Partnering with walkable communities groups and organizations.
• Supporting local trails initiatives and other outdoor activities programs.

Ensuring access to healthy foods through the support of Farm to School program and the promotion of electronic benefit transfer (food stamps) at community farmers markets.

Promoting abstinence from tobacco products through:

• Providing tobacco education in schools.
• Partnering with local and state-wide organization on anti-tobacco marketing campaigns and tobacco compliance checks.

Working with local mental health, school and other partners to address teen high-risk behaviors, including alcohol, drug, and sexuality.

Providing information and resources on how families and individuals can thrive in many areas of their lives through the Thriving Lifestyles Program.

Priority #3 – Protect Our Environments

Ensuring the quality of our natural, local environment is important and will continue to be a high priority through the services offered:

• Preserving water quality with onsite wastewater and landfill monitoring, continual water sampling and responding to hazardous materials spills.
• Preserving the air quality of Summit County with air monitoring and reporting programs and collaboration with state partners.
• Protecting the public from food contaminants through food handler training, testing, and certification along with routine restaurant inspections.
• Protecting against other factors that could negatively impact the health of the county including asbestos, radon, hazardous spills and pool inspections.
• Educating the public on ways they can cut down on air pollution, save water and clean up our local environment through the Thriving Lifestyles Program.

Priority #4 – Safeguard Families and Communities

Assuring the delivery of quality mental health and substance abuse services for those in need:

• Contracting, partnering and planning with Valley Mental Health.
• Working with other community-based organizations to identify needs and resources.
• Supporting the Summit County Drug Court.

Protecting the community from the occurrence and spread of communicable diseases through:

• Vaccination programs
• Disease investigations and TB control
• Education and outreach

Assuring access to family planning and women’s health services with the Women’s Health Program.

Providing Women, Infant and Children (WIC) and Early Intervention programs to meet the special needs of the young.

Preparing for public health emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters:

• Creating and maintaining public health emergency response plans.
• Continually working with other Summit County responders and agencies.