Press release
The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming (GOW) County Health Departments and Hospitals
are currently working with community partners to gather information from residents and
those who work in these counties to help with public health planning for the next three
years.
The information will help inform and guide documents called the Community
Health Assessment (CHA), Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), and
Community Services Plan (CSP). This initiative is part of the New York State Prevention
Agenda, the state’s health improvement plan, which is a blueprint for state and local
action to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers.
The 2019-2024 NYS Prevention Agenda Priority Areas are to Prevent Chronic
Diseases; Promote a Healthy and Safe Environment; Promote Healthy Women, Infants
and Children; Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders;
and Prevent Communicable Disease. In the 2019-2022 GOW Community Health
Improvement Plan, the community survey and community conversations helped inform
some of the public health initiatives that the local health departments and hospitals
focused on, which were:
• Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders
o Prevent opioid overdose deaths
• Prevent Chronic Disease
o Promote tobacco use cessation
o Increase cancer screening rates
o In the community setting, improve self-management skills for individuals
with chronic diseases, including asthma, arthritis, cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, prediabetes and obesity.
Now, we are looking for community input to help inform the next Community Health
Improvement Plan and to fully assess the health status of our communities. We are
asking the public to participate by taking a survey and sharing their viewpoints during
community conversations. An online survey is available and paper copies will be
available at various locations throughout each county. You can access the survey by
visiting the following link:
• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022English
• Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022Spanish
The survey is anonymous, only takes about 15 minutes to complete and focuses on the
health of the person taking it. If you are under the age of 18 years old, be sure to
receive permission to take the survey from your parent(s) or guardian(s).
“As chief health strategists, the health departments are working toward identifying major
community health challenges, gaps in services, and other factors that may contribute to
a less than optimal health status for our community residents,” stated Paul Pettit, Public
Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).
“The input from our residents will help identify community health needs, which will
ultimately help us to develop our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for the
next few years.”
The health departments are also seeking to schedule Community Conversations with
willing groups to learn what they feel are the greatest health concerns or issues in their
community and thoughts on how they can be improved.
“This process offers an opportunity for our community members to have a voice about
the barriers and issues they face when trying to be healthy,” stated Laura Paolucci
Wyoming County Health Department Public Health Administrator. “The more members
of the community who participate, the more inclusive and stronger these plans will be.”
To participate in a community conversation, obtain hardcopies of the survey, obtain
flyers that promote completing the survey online, or have any questions, please contact
your local health department:
• Genesee County Health Department at: 585-344-2580 ext.5555, visit their
website at www.GOHealthNY.Org or visit Facebook at: Genesee & Orleans
County Health Departments.
• Orleans County Health Department at: 585-589-3278, visit their website at
www.GOHealthNY.Org or visit Facebook at: Genesee & Orleans County Health
Departments.
• Wyoming County Health Department at: 585-786-8890, visit their website at
Health Department | Wyoming County, NY, or visit Facebook at:
Wyoming County Health Department.