The Florida Department of Health in Martin County recognizes the value in measuring health outcomes and today acknowledged the 2018 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps tool released by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This study highlights the many community factors that influence health and uses established data, much of which is available from the department at https://www.flhealthcharts.gov/.

“The County Health Rankings help us to understand some of the many factors influencing health in our community.” said Karlette Peck, Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Martin County. “Healthy communities are built through partnerships and collaborations. In Martin County, we have enjoyed great success with our Oral Health Prevention program which provides oral health education for pre-school age children including dental sealants for elementary school age children. The program is funded in part by the Children’s Services Council of Martin County and has served more than 3,800 children since it began in late 2014.”

These rankings are a snapshot of the health of counties across the country and they emphasize that health is not a singular effort but a combined work in progress across all community partners. The department works in collaboration with local governments, non-profit organizations, health care facilities, business groups, schools, faith-based organizations and many other stakeholders to improve the health of all people in Martin County. These rankings use data related to physical environments, social and economic factors, health behaviors and clinical care.

In Martin County, the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is designed to address specific opportunities for improved health that have been identified by the community. The department has partnered with many stakeholders to implement the CHIP and collaborates regularly to track progress. The CHIP can be viewed here: Martin CHIP

Public Health outreach efforts were enhanced in 2017 through a partnership with the Golden Gate Center for Enrichment, managed by the House of Hope. Based in the Golden Gate neighborhood in Stuart, the center has become a hub for programs that enhance health and support life skills. The Health Department offers school age Immunizations, HIV/STD testing, Hepatitis C testing, Family Planning and Nutrition/Cooking classes at the Golden Gate Center. A complete schedule of programs is available here:  http://hohmartin.org/golden-gate-calendar

“Bringing partners together in a unified effort is the foundation for our work.” said Rob Raneri, Chief Executive Officer for the House of Hope. “The Golden Gate Center provides us with a unique opportunity to meet people where they live and work. Through our many partnerships, we can offer the community life changing programs that support health, build life skills and support overall well-being.”

To explore more health indicators in your county, visit https://www.flhealthcharts.gov/.