WCCHD ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE 2022 COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT

The first step in improving the health of the community is to understand what the community’s health looks like by conducting a Community Health Assessment (CHA). Led by the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD), the 2022 Williamson County Community Health Assessment (CHA) was developed by a strong task force of community partners: Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health, Bluebonnet Trails Community Services, Georgetown Health Foundation, Healthy Williamson County Coalition, Lone Star Circle of Care, Opportunities for Williamson and Burnet Counties, St. David’s Foundation, United Way of Williamson County, and Williamson County.

The task force collected information through community surveys, focus groups, key informant interviews (interviews conducted with health leaders and elected officials), hospital data, facilitated group activities, and listening forums over a span of six months.

The 2022 CHA is designed to collect and analyze data to educate and mobilize communities, develop priorities, gather resources, plan actions to improve population health, and enable evidence‐based goal setting and decision making for Williamson County. 

Based on the comprehensive findings, the CHA identified four health focus areas for decision makers to prioritize to improve health and wellness for all:

  • Social and structural determinants of health: focus on improving basic needs (housing, transportation, broadband or internet access, and living wages) for all and eliminating ethnic and racial segregation.
  • Mental health and well‐being: focus on building resilience by improving mental health for children and youth and mitigating the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic.
  • Chronic disease and chronic disease risk factors: focus on increasing healthy food access and physical activity.
  • Access to healthcare: focus on increasing access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care and dental care for vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults, people of color, and people experiencing homelessness).

The 2022 CHA is now published and available for viewing at www.healthywilliamsoncounty.org/CHA.