Today at Reno Public Market, Truckee Meadow's Tomorrow held their Speaker Series which invited a panel representing the Washoe County Health District (WCHD), Washoe County School District (WCSD), and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada (FBNN).
All discussed Washoe County's most pressing health needs, noted in the recently published Community Health Assessment.
The assessment also touched on improvements and areas of concern with health in the community.
Today, the panel further explained what the Washoe County community's health needs are.
"They look at hundreds of health indicators and then they identify are the greatest priorities for our community and what the health district is choosing to prioritize for the next three years," said Erica Mirich, Outgoing Chief Executive Officer for Truckee Meadows Tomorrow.
The top five health needs they noted from the assessment were:
1. Mental Health
2. Social Determinants of Health
3. Access to Health Services
4. Preventive Health Behaviors
5. Violence
Today's event was meant to break down and inform more members of the community about the assessment and other health issues they say need to be addressed.
WCHD found notable information with adolescents in their findings.
"We are actually seeing some interesting patterns especially in adolescents, we've seen a decreases in high-risk sexual behaviors, we've seen a decrease in teen pregnancy, we've seen a decrease in substance use, however we have seen a huge increase in mental health," said Heather Kerwin, Epidemiology Program Manager, Washoe County Health District.
You can view the assessment here: CHA-2022-25-Full-Version.pdf (washoecounty.gov)
The Community Health Assessment will be used to draw-up the Community Health Improvement Plan, which will be released later this spring.
