Shawnee Co. encouraged to voice health disparities

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The 2024 Shawnee Co. Community Health Needs Assessment kicked off Monday at the Topeka and Shawnee Co. Public Library.

“It really helps me see what we can bring back to the Shawnee Co. community if we’ve lost it or what needs to happen in the Shawnee Co. community if it hasn’t happened already,” said Community Engagement Coordinator for Stormont Vail Health, Savanna Gaumer.

The assessment is conducted every three years to identify health needs and disparities across all of Shawnee Co.

“We want to change the health of Shawnee Co. and this is how we’re going to do it. Step one is a survey, we can’t really do anything without data — it’s the most important thing,” said Gaumer. “If you have something different going on in your community, I’m not going to be able to know that because I live in a different zip code. So we need the survey to show what’s going on and to see different ideas and different beliefs of the people of Shawnee Co.”

Director of Live Well Shawnee Co., Sarah Karns, encourages everyone to participate in the survey.

The more they know — the more they can help improve health.

“Shawnee Co. is made up of so many communities with their own unique identity and purpose,” said Karns. “This survey touches all of those communities and reaches out to all of those different pockets of the county.”

The CHNA will use the data that is collected to develop strategies for their community health improvement plan.

“What we do everyday is impacted by our health,” said Karns. “If we can make that better for people, I want to do that and be a part of that.”

The assessment will be open until April 30. They’ll discuss results at a town hall at the library on May 15.

For the English Survey, click HERE.

Para la encuesta en Español, haga clic aquí.

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.