Latest County Health Rankings Released

Grafton County, NH and Windsor County, VT featured in Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 8^th Annual County Health Rankings

Lebanon, NH and White River Junction, VT– Grafton County and Windsor County ranked favorably in numerous categories according to the eighth annual County Health Rankings, recently released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of  Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI). Of particular note were Grafton County’s #1 rankings among New Hampshire counties for both clinical care and physical environment. For its part, Windsor County showed strength in its #3 ranking among Vermont counties for health behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity. The County Health Rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

The Public Health Council of the Upper Valley is working with regional partners to positively address many of the health outcomes, health factors, policies and programs identified by the Rankings. Specific priorities are defined in the Upper Valley Public Health Region’s Community Health Improvement Plan and include:

• Preparing for emergencies, including planning and exercising to quickly distribute medications to residents;
• Impacting substance misuse by implementing evidence-based prevention programs;
• Promoting healthy weight and relieving food insecurity; and
• Improving oral health in the Upper Valley

“The information contained in the County Health Rankings report provides critical input to those of us working to effect positive change in population health outcomes.” said Alice Ely, Director of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley. “Understanding our communities’ health disparities and what is working well allows the many partners of the Public Health Council to make smart choices about where to target efforts to improve health for all of our communities.”

For specific information about the work of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, visit their website at https://uvpublichealth.org/ or email them at info@pubhealthtest.wpengine.com.

For More Information: Emergency Preparedness

For more information regarding Emergency Preparedness efforts and how you can get involved through organizations like the Upper Valley Medical Reserve Corps, contact Wesley Miller at d.wesley.miller@hitchcock.org.

For More Information: National Public Health Week

April 3–9 is 2017 National Public Health week; for more information visit www.nphw.org.