Healthy Seminole

The Healthy Seminole Collaborative

With over 200 engaged community partners, the Healthy Seminole Collaborative vision is to be the healthiest county in Florida (according to the County Health Rankings). Its mission is to collaborate with community partners to advance health, wellness, and quality of life for all Seminole County residents. This mission is fulfilled through three subcommittees: Chronic Conditions, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, and Social and Economic Factors. The subcommittees are in alignment with identified priorities established by the 2023-2026 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) (PDF 2.2MB) after evaluating health needs reported in the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) (PDF 29.8 MB). Below a summary of each of the priorities:

Chronic Conditions Priority Area - Cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other illnesses related to poor lifestyle choices are among the most common health problems affecting people of all ages, socioeconomic statuses, and racial and ethnic groups. Risk factors – lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, the environment, and social and economic factors – are associated with much of the illness, suffering and early death related to chronic diseases and conditions.

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Priority Area - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how people think, feel, and act. It also helps determine stress management, relation to others, and healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Mental and emotional well-being empowers individuals to realize their own abilities, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute to their communities. Prevention and early intervention strategies that work to address mental health and substance use disorders are essential for ensuring optimal mental and physical health.

Social and Economic Factors Priority Area - Social and economic factors impacting health are the conditions in the environments where people live, work, and play that influence health throughout the lifespan. These factors, including but not limited to income, employment, housing, literacy skills and transportation have a major impact on people’s ability to lead long, healthy lives.

The Collaborative meets quarterly. During each meeting, one partner agency from each subcommittee, provides a summary of their services, then members break into the three subcommittees lead by two co-chairs to discuss progress toward selected strategic goals, remedy any barriers, explore new ideas and share activities that all the community partners are involved in. As members move forward with implementation plan, the community is engaged by sharing relevant data and actions taken by our partners through the Collaborative online dashboard.

Every year during plan cycle, the collaborative conducts an annual review to identify emerging health threats that need to be addressed and revise plan accordingly.

For more information about how to support the collaborative please contact Patricia Mondragon at Patricia.Mondragon@FLHealth.gov.