Jefferson County Public Health’s Community Health Improvement Plan program will host Community Conversation meetings in three county locations beginning Wednesday.
Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) officials will share data gathered in a comprehensive health assessment conducted over the summer.
All county residents are invited to attend sessions in Port Townsend, the Tri-Area and Quilcene. The meetings will offer information about the assessment and how it has impacted the development of CHIP’s community health priorities.
Community meetings are planned at:
• Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Cotton Building, 607 Water St., Port Townsend.
• Thursday, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. — Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave, Port Hadlock.
• Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101, Quilcene.
The assessment was conducted to understand current health needs of county residents, and to identify where and how health can be improved in Jefferson County.
Data collected is to determine the health priorities for Jefferson County for the next four to five years, becoming the basis for the next CHIP, which is set for completion in 2020.
“The community component of the health assessment, with surveys and community forums that reached out to people from Port Townsend to South County, added vital information that will be an integral part of the new Community Health Improvement Plan,” said John Nowak, co-executive director for CHIP.
“We want to share this data and these health priorities with the communities whose involvement helped us so much.”
dded co-executive director for CHIP Lori Fleming: “It is invaluable to have the data to help us plan for how to best serve our community.
“We are grateful for the contributions from Jefferson County, Jefferson Healthcare and the city of Port Townsend that allowed us to complete this assessment.”
For more information, contact Bernadette Smyth at Public Health, 360-379-4478, bsmyth@co.jefferson.wa.us.