March 16, 2016

Florida Department of Health in Seminole County Addresses County Health Rankings

Contact: Tiffani McDaniel
Media Desk: 407-665-3374 (office) and 321-200-7805 (cell)

Sanford, Fla.– The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County (DOH-Seminole) recognizes the value in measuring health outcomes and today acknowledged the 2016 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps tool released by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This study highlights the many community factors that influence health and uses established data, much of which is available from the department at www.floridacharts.com.

“We will continue to strive to improve our ranking by measuring ourselves not only within the state, but in comparison to the national averages. We will continue to engage community partners in order to work together for the health of the community in Seminole County," said Dr. Swannie Jett, Health Officer for DOH-Seminole.

These rankings are a snapshot of the health of counties across the country and they emphasize that health is not a singular effort but a combined work in progress across all community partners. The department works in collaboration with local governments, non-profit organizations, health care facilities, business groups, schools, faith-based organizations and many other stakeholders to improve the health of all people in Seminole County. These rankings use data related to physical environments, social and economic factors, health behaviors and clinical care.

In Seminole County, the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is designed to address specific opportunities for improved health that have been identified by the community. The department has partnered with many stakeholders to implement the CHIP and collaborates regularly to track progress. The Healthy Seminole Collaboration, which consists of various community partners, has been created and meets monthly to evaluate and work on the community goals and strategies outlined in the CHIP. The CHIP is an ongoing community-driven initiative to identify and address the health needs in Seminole County. An important priority to be addressed is men’s health. A men’s health program will address the areas where men have poor outcomes compared to women such as suicide rates and Type 2 Diabetes related to obesity.

“Public health is a prime indicator of quality of life,” said Chairman John Horan with Seminole County Government. “Seminole County’s high ranking in this area would not be possible without the essential services of our County Health Department led by Dr. Jett and his great staff.”

To learn more about DOH-Seminole visit: www.SeminoleCoHealth.com.

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