Healthy Teton County Releases Community Health Needs Assessment Report

The 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment Report (CHNA) has been published by Healthy Teton County (HTC) and is now available online at http://healthytetoncounty.org. Healthy Teton County, a community health initiative, determined that the top areas of focus for the community in 2024 are: access to healthcare; cancer; good jobs and a healthy economy; mental health; substance use and misuse; safe and affordable housing; and violence, abuse, and neglect. The 2024 Community Health Implementation Plan that outlines the goals and strategies for addressing each identified issue will be available by the end of 2024. Healthy Teton County’s vision of “a vibrant Greater Teton area where opportunities for health are available to all” has continued to guide this project since its inception in 2013.

The Community Health Needs Assessment is conducted every three years by Healthy Teton County, which is led by the Teton County Health Department and St. John’s Health. For 2024, Voices JH joined as a partner, bringing greater engagement of the immigrant communities of the Teton region. The partnership follows MAPP 2.0, an updated version of the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) framework, a national best practice to help communities identify community health issues and resources to address them.

Data was obtained from the Centers for Disease Control, the Wyoming Department of Health, County Health Rankings, and Network of Care (http://teton.wy.networkofcare.org/ph). To complement this data, a survey was conducted with community members to assess their perceptions of the health and quality of life in Teton County. This year, more than 1,777 community members completed the survey. New for 2024, HTC conducted focus groups with high school students and seniors ages 60+ to gather perceptions on what affects their health and the greatest health risks in Teton County. Focus groups were also asked about the events, factors, and trends that impact the community. HTC conducted a Force of Change Assessment to further identify events, factors, and trends that have impacted the health of the community.

“We are excited to share the community data for health in our area,” said Jodie Pond, Director of Health at Teton County Health Department. “We want to thank all the community members and partners who participated in the MAPP process. It’s your participation and insight that has helped us create this assessment of health in our community. We look forward to sharing the Improvement Plan later in the year.”

“We were especially pleased that the engagement came from all parts of the community,” said Natalie Stewart, Director of Wellness at St. John’s Health. “The themes that emerged are in alignment with other data that informed the development of the St. John’s Health 2024 Strategic Plan, with a strong focus on enhancing access to care and expanding the breadth of services offered, including cancer care.”

For additional information about the Teton County MAPP process, visit www.healthytetoncounty.org.