GREENE CO., Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— The Greene County Health Department held a discussion about the health and well-being of its community. The event was highlighted by a special guest who was the keynote speaker. It was State Commissioner for the Indiana Department of Health, Dr. Lindsay Weaver.
One thing Dr. Weaver mentioned during the hour-and-a-half-long discussion was how well the rural communities, like Greene County, have been stepping up and finding ways to thrive in the Health First Indiana program.
“It’s so impressive that here in Green County and the surrounding counties in the community have put a lot of work into improving their infant mortality rates to address obesity, other chronic diseases, fall prevention for older adults,” Dr. Weaver said. “I just love to see that our local communities are getting the job done.”
Something that can be a major benefit for a community like Greene County is the fact that they are a close-knit community, and everyone knows each other.
“They know who their stakeholders are,” Dr. Weaver said. “These are the people that they are going to church with that they see at the PTO meeting, their crossing paths in the grocery store and they also know the needs of their community. So, our rural communities have been able to move really fast to address whatever their community needs are.”
One thing that was mentioned during these discussions was some of the success stories from people being in the programs from the Health First Indiana program and it hasn’t just improved one person’s life, but whole families have improved their health from some of the programs.
“Not only are they improving health for themselves, but they’re also improving the health of their families,” Dr. Weaver said. “So, they’re bringing home those healthy habits. ‘What are the right foods? How do I cook better?’ to their entire family. So, even really small programs have the ability to grow really far and wide.”
Dr. Weaver knows continuing this success is going to be a challenge, as the Health First Indiana program is having the total funding be lowered during the next couple of years and asks that more community leaders step up and try to help in any way they can.
“Unfortunately, the funding for the Health First Indiana was significantly reduced for the next couple of years,” Dr. Weaver said. “So, we’re working really closely with counties, like Greene County, to really look at their data and say, what are the areas that you should continue to really focus on? They’re not going to be able to do all the programs that they’ve been doing with that reduction in funding, but we still want them to focus on those biggest areas, those highest areas of need and that’s where I’m really looking to businesses, foundations, community-based organizations to step up and try to fill in some of those gaps. So, they don’t have to reduce so many programs.”
Dr. Weaver knows the county is in good hands with the Greene County Health Department.
“We know that seventy to eighty percent of our health is not actually happening within hospitals and health care facilities,” Dr. Weaver said. “It is having access to good food. It’s being educated on healthy behaviors and so I really want to thank and applaud the amazing folks who are here today and all the work that they’re doing.”
There was a Q&A during this discussion as well and local area business leaders and non-profit leaders were represented at the discussion and were able to help learn of ways to help continue the improvement of the Health First Indiana program in the area, as funding for it begins to go down over the next couple of years.
To learn more about Health First Indiana, click here.
