Sioux Falls Community Health Status Report, Improvement Plans Released

By Paul J. Prim Last updated Jun 14, 2022

SIOUX FALLS, SD (Dakota News Now) – The latest Sioux Falls community health report and plans for improvement have been released.

Sioux Falls Health Department, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, Avera Heart Hospital, Sanford USD Medical Center and Sioux Falls VA Health Care System presented the results of an evaluation Community Health Collaborative to create a Community Health Assessment (CHA). The CHA is a process for understanding the health status of Sioux Falls-area residents, according to a city news release.

Community organizations and local health partners have also collaborated through the “Sioux Falls Community Health Partnership” to produce the Sioux Falls Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) 2022-2025. The partnership will take the ACS findings one step further by setting and pursuing collective goals for improving community health.

The findings of the CHA report show a number of significant concerns, which have been grouped into the following categories:

High burden of chronic diseases, mental health disorders and injuries

Poor oral health, especially in school-aged children

Health disparities

COVID-19 and other communicable diseases

The assessment followed a rigorous process with various forms of data collection in 2021, including a survey of community residents, a focus group with community stakeholders, and a review of existing health data from state and national sources.

Considering factors such as reach, urgency, community resources and assets, potential impact and value, CHIP partners identified priority areas to pursue collaboratively across all community sectors over the three coming years. These priorities and their respective objectives include:

· Active life : Getting people to move more

· Balanced diet: Increase consumption of healthy foods

· Mental Health and Addiction: Reduce deaths from intentional and unintentional injuries

· Oral health: Improving oral health by reducing dental disease

· Preventive care: Increasing the use of preventive care services

“We appreciate the many community members who participated in this thorough and helpful health assessment process, as well as our partners who have been and will be involved in the planning and implementation of the health improvement plan. community health,” said Dr. Charles Chima, Director of Public Health for the City of Sioux Falls. “We look forward to the positive impact this coalition and its activities will have on the health of our community.

A copy of the CHA report, CHIP and related resources, as well as information on the implementation of the strategies, will be available at siouxfalls.org/community-health.