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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: April 19, 2011 <br />Action Agenda b <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: County Health Rankings: Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health Report <br />DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />County Health Rankings: Mobilizing <br />Action Toward Community Health <br />Report <br />(Under Separate Cover) <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Rosemary Summers, 245-2411 <br />PURPOSE: To receive the results of County Health Rankings Report for Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded the University of Wisconsin <br />Population Health Institute to develop a ranking system for all local counties across the country <br />- approximately 3,000 counties. The first rankings and report was issued in 2010. The ranking <br />only compares counties to each other within a state. The rankings are intended to help counties <br />compare the multiple factors that influence health so that people can see where they are doing <br />well and where they need to improve. <br />The rankings show that Orange County continues as second overall in the state. The County <br />ranks first in health factors and second in health outcomes. These rankings were determined by <br />examining data sets from certain points in time. North Carolina continually examines and <br />updates some of the same data points contained in this report through its four year cycle of <br />community assessment. Orange County is currently gathering data for a new community <br />assessment that will be completed December 1, 2011. <br />Most of the achievements in Orange County's health rankings can be attributed to the strong <br />partnerships that exist between both school systems, UNC Health Care System, UNC, non- <br />profit agencies, the business community and governments. One place all of these partners <br />come together is through Healthy Carolinians of Orange County. These partners collaborate to <br />address high priority health issues for County residents. The current focus issues are mental <br />health services, prevention of child abuse and neglect, reducing obesity in children, and <br />improving access to health services. There will be an opportunity this summer for County <br />residents to select new priorities for the next four years as a result of the community <br />assessment data currently being gathered. <br />