Allegany County Launches New Public Health Initiative

The Allegany County Health Department has launched a new web-based forum that seeks to bring public health issues into everyday discussion. AlleganySpeaks.com is one of five public health forums in the country that has been funded by a grant by the Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI). Brenda Caldwell, Public Information Coordinator for the Allegany County Health Department (ACHD), said, “the purpose of the site is to engage Allegany County residents in discussion on health issues in our communities. Input from our communities will help public health officials in our planning process as we address the most pressing health issues facing Allegany County.”

The new forum was based off of one the was created by neighboring Garrett County’s Health Department. According to a press release from the PHNCI, “[The Garrett County Health Department] developed the tool to help its rural, western Maryland community create a shared vision based on county level data by meaningfully and transparently engaging 1,800 residents to date. The tool’s transparency allows for authentic engagement and increased accountability, and builds trust between agencies and the community alike.”

For the ACHD, reaching out to and directly engaging with community members will make it easier for the county to address public health issues. Dr. Jennifer Corder, Medical Deputy Health Officer for the Garrett and Allegany County Health Departments, who spearheaded the implementation of AlleganySpeaks, said that that the purpose of the website is “to increase involvement of citizens who in the past have been unintentionally sidelined. This site will allow for conversations to take place wherever, whenever.”

While data on public health issues has normally come from state sources, AlleganySpeaks allows for citizens of Allegany County to step up and voice their own health concerns. When this happens, public health organizations like the ACHD can make more informed choices regarding how to tackle public health issues. “Input from our communities will help public health officials in our planning process as we address the most pressing health issues facing Allegany County,” Caldwell said.

Although the forum is in its infancy, the ACHD has already begun amassing data about community health concerns. The first survey launched by the forum, which received 96 responses, identified poverty, illicit drug use, and mental health as the top three health concerns of users of the forum.

So far, the forum has six discussion groups, also known as action groups, which focus on health insurance access, pregnancy and child health, drug use, and community health, as well as other issues. “Many who participate on AlleganySpeaks will already be working on health related projects. These folks can create Action Groups and host specific group conversations. They can also highlight their work, and choose to measure the success of the work. Within each Action Group you’ll find areas to report on measures,” Corder said.

The ultimate goal of AlleganySpeaks is to reach out to and effectively engage the Allegany County community in positive health practices. Transparency and inter-agency collaboration are essential for quality public health needs assessment and planning,” Corder said. “We anticipate a great increase in cross-sector awareness of the variety of efforts being undertaken by so many people in Allegany County.”