March 25, 2022
2022 COVID Recovery Plan released by the Population Health Trust: A call to action to improve community health
The Population Health Trust (“Trust”), Skagit County’s Community Advisory Board to the Board of Health, has just released its 2022 COVID Recovery Plan. The plan, which can be found online, is a call to action to improve the overall health of Skagitonians still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This document is a direct response to the Trust’s 2020-2021 Community Health Assessment, which illuminated some of Skagit County’s strengths and weaknesses. Some areas of concern include:
- The disproportionate effects of the pandemic on Skagit’s Hispanic/Latino community and other communities of color.
- The overwhelming need for increased behavioral health supports.
- The wide-scale disconnection from services and programs that some communities face due to a variety of barriers.
- The foundational need for housing, food, employment, and child care.
- The need for quick technology shifts to help foster community resiliency in the areas of health care.
The Population Health Trust has created 17 goals and 26 strategies aimed at tackling the following key areas impacting community health and wellness:
- Equity
- Housing
- Access to Care
- Behavioral Health
- Child Care
- Economic and Fiscal Security
- Food Security
“The plan fairly represents the many communities that make up Skagit County,” said Linden Jordan, President of PFLAG Skagit. “I appreciate being included in these conversations, and I appreciate the proof that we were heard in the report itself.”
The COVID Recovery Plan is intended to bring the community together in focused efforts, with the overarching goal of helping our community heal from the pandemic.
Commissioner Peter Browning, Chair of the Board of Health stated: “This is a well thought out plan and I look forward to supporting the work that is carried out from it.”
The Board of Health officially endorsed the plan during a special session on March 24, 2022.
For more information about the Population Health Trust, visit https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/PHTAC or call (360) 416-1500. |
