Season 2, Episode 49 - A Comprehensive Approach to Community Well-being

A Comprehensive Approach to Community Well-being

 

In this week's episode of the podcast, it's all about El Paso County Public Health! Public Health serves a diverse population, from those with limited resources to affluent residents. The agency's mission is to help all county residents achieve optimal health by working passionately with the community to make a difference. Susan Wheelan, the executive director, emphasizes the importance of collaboration and data-driven decision-making in addressing the county's top health concerns.

Identifying and Addressing Health Priorities:  The agency conducts a community health assessment to identify the most pressing health issues affecting El Paso County, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, barriers to healthcare access, drug overdose, housing stability, and suicide. The Healthy Community Collaborative, involving over 60 organizations, plays a crucial role in developing a community health improvement plan based on these data-driven priorities. By collaborating with various partners, El Paso County Public Health tackles a wide range of initiatives, including youth substance use prevention, tobacco prevention, nurse family partnership, Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) programs, reproductive health, and environmental health.

Promoting Services and Engaging the Community:  With a limited advertising budget, the agency relies on word of mouth, earned media, and community outreach to promote its services. Susan Wheelan highlights the broad-based nature of public health efforts, which goes beyond one-on-one medical care. The agency focuses on sharing information through multiple channels and in different languages to serve the growing diverse community. Although there are limitations and capacity issues with some services, leading to wait times and waiting lists, the agency celebrates success stories of helping individuals access resources and navigate high-risk situations.

Empowering Individuals through Pikes Peak Rising:  Pikes Peak Rising is an innovative platform designed to promote mental health well-being and self-help. The platform provides evidence-based, curated information for individuals seeking support for issues like sleeping problems, anxiety, and election stress. It also connects users to 9-8-8 crisis lines for immediate help when needed. The goal of Pikes Peak Rising is prevention and maintaining well-being, rather than crisis intervention. Susan emphasizes the importance of empowering individuals to take control of their health and the value of self-help resources.

Celebrating Achievements and Recognizing Partnerships:  El Paso County Public Health takes pride in its various achievements and awards, recognizing the importance of partnerships and the entire staff's contributions. Susan, who has been with the county for over 20 years, started as an environmental health inspector and has held various positions, including program manager for tobacco education, prevention, and partnerships. She initiated the Youth Suicide Prevention Program, secured funding for the Communities That Care initiative, and established the data analytics office, which became invaluable during the pandemic for providing COVID-related data to the community.

El Paso County Public Health's comprehensive approach to community well-being involves collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and empowering individuals. By working with diverse partners, the agency addresses a wide range of health issues and ensures that its services reach all county residents. Innovative initiatives like Pikes Peak Rising demonstrate the agency's commitment to prevention and empowerment. As Susan Wheelan emphasizes, public health is integral to various aspects of community life, and the agency remains dedicated to working with different businesses and communities to address public health concerns and celebrate the positive impact of its efforts.