JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Jackson Hole’s 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment Report was published by Healthy Teton County last week. The report highlights areas of need even as the county ranked well in U.S. News & World Report’s list of ‘Healthiest Communities.’
The local report determined top community primary health behaviors and conditions for 2021 to be mental health, alcohol use, chronic disease/cancer screenings, immunizations, sexual/reproductive health, and nicotine use. The top social needs/social determinants of health identified in the 2021 report are housing, income inequality, access to health care, and food insecurity.
The 2021 Community Health Implementation Plan that outlines the goals and strategies for addressing each identified issue will be available by the end of 2021.
“The social determinants of health, in particular, are multifaceted and require a system-wide approach to address these issues,” stated Public Health director Jodie Pond. “They are best addressed by bringing together nontraditional partners. By focusing on and prioritizing the social needs/social determinants of health we hope to achieve health equity in our community, a state in which every person has the opportunity to attain their highest level of health.”
Will Wagnon, CEO of St. John’s Health, added, “We look forward to continued work with our partners to ensure we are focused on meeting the priority health needs of Teton County.”
The Community Health Needs Assessment is conducted every three years by Healthy Teton County, a community health initiative led by Teton County Health Department and St. John’s Health. More than 25 local organizations participate. The partnership follows a condensed version of the MAPP (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships) framework, a national best practice to help communities identify community health issues and resources to address them.
Meanwhile, out of the thousands of counties in America, Teton ranked #13 healthiest overall with an 86 score.
