In 2012, the Public Health Advisory Council (PHAC) served as the steering committee for Snohomish Health District's Community Health Assessment. During the year, Health District staff presented their findings on 80 community health indicators. Each health indicator was scored based on:

• Snohomish County compared to Washington state and U.S. data
• Trends in the measure over time, whether improving or worsening
• National goals such as Healthy People 2020, or goals set by a professional association

The PHAC and Health District staff presented their findings on the health of Snohomish County residents to community leaders at the end of April.

PHAC members prioritized six top areas of concern for Snohomish County, with a commitment to address the top three in the coming year:

• Youth physical abuse
• Obesity in youth and adults
• Suicide
• Dental health for children
• Access to a primary care provider
• Lack of first trimester care for pregnant women

These priorities are based on the number of people impacted, the seriousness of the issue in terms of health effects, and whether there are proven community-based interventions. The PHAC also considered community values and the existence of local organizations which might assist in tackling the topic.
 

The PHAC will work with Snohomish Health District staff to engage the wider community in actively developing Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIP) for each priority in 2013-2014.

If you or your organization would like to get involved in a Community Health Improvement Plan or learn more, please contact 425.339.8618.

We invite you to join us in building a better future for Snohomish County. Our next task is to develop Community Health Improvement Plans that address priority issues, determine goals, and design evaluation plans that measure progress in addressing the issues. If you have interest in joining the next phase of work for any of the top three issues, please call the Healthy Communities & Assessment program at 425.339.8650 or healthstats@snohd.org.