Community health needs assessment in Union County is aimed at ensuring that health facilities and hospitals are well-equipped with the information they require to offer the entire Union Community benefits that meet the needs of the people. Over the years, the exercise has involved nearly all health facilities from private entities to public facilities. According to Baumer and Finnegan (2018) t he year 2019 saw an increased number of community participants than in previous years.
Facilities/Hospitals Involved
The main facilities that participated in the exercise included: Overlook Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center Hospital, Union County Health Care Associates, UCHC Clinic, and Atrium Health Union West. Others included Union Hospital/Cleveland Clinic and Union County Mental Health Services ( Baumer & Finnegan, 2018) . The centers involved by way of interviewing community members, providing health awareness tips, and distributing pamphlets on various health services and care available in their facilities.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The Most Surprising Data
In the past decade, Union County had led in the number of drug addicts. However, it came as a surprise from the data presented, with only 176 addicts admitted in rehabilitation centers for treatment ( Baumer & Finnegan, 2018) . At the same time, young individuals between the age of 18 and 32 were the most vocal against drug abuse in the county ( Baumer & Finnegan, 2018) . The data was surprising because, in the past decade, drug abuse was a social challenge for most families with approximately every hospital having special care for alcoholics. Many youths were either out in the streets or battling with severe drug side effects in major hospitals around the county.
What Helped Community Members the Most
In the past decade, Union County has had three community health needs assessment, an exercise that has often brought together all members of the county together. Due to the low population of the county, information has often reached far and wide. Credit goes to Union County Health care Associates who came up with a drug and alcohol awareness campaign targeting young adults in the county. The campaign has often been carried out from door to door with positive feedback from members of the public. With increased penetration and aggression of the caregivers, more drug addicts and alcoholics turned to treatment and rehabilitation. The awareness campaign was further taken up by other hospital facilities, a feat that saw an increasing number of the community affected members seeking treatment.
How the Community was Involved
The community was at the center of the entire exercise that targeted young people. Each county was marked in regions with each region having its workgroup who facilitated the community assessment needs and especially drug addiction cases. Addicts were encouraged by group leaders to register either in a treatment group of seeking admission in a rehabilitation center. For addicts who faced financial challenges, the community members arranged for a pool of finances that would cater to their treatment. The amount was considered as a soft loan that would be refunded back to the pool to help others. The arrangement came as a surprise to me as I never expected such a proactive arrangement.
How Community could be more involved
Besides the most pressing health concern, the community can be involved in other health issues such as cleanliness and orderliness in the county. Despite being a local county management issue, community members constitute the first people to spearhead cleanliness in the county. Such a move and arrangement would help meet some of the goals and objectives of the community health needs assessment without waiting for health officials and workers to undertake or assess the same. Community cleanliness would be the first initiative my group would involve in to promote a healthy environment.
Key Issue Found
One of the most outstanding issues I found out was that the community members took community health exercises very serious and devoted their time and resources dedicatedly. At the same time, my group would take a central role in creating awareness on cleanliness as a vital component of a healthy community. At the same time, my group would take an active role in the drug addiction campaign exercise to help reinforce the already existing measures.
Reference
Baumer, C., & Finnegan, A. (2018). Personal Stories in Healthcare and Public Health Leadership. Leadership in Healthcare and Public Health .
