LAKEPORT >> The Lake County Board of Supervisors heard an update regarding the Way to Wellville initiative during their regular meeting on Tuesday.
Lakeport-based Health Leadership Network Director Susan Jen and recently retired Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook led the presentation, which discussed a 100-day implementation plan for initiative.
According to Jen, Jan. 12 marked “when the clock officially started.”
“This is an opportunity for the community look at it’s health profile,” Jen said. “Which is more than physical well-being.”
Economic stability, quality of life, sustainability and crime statistics are among factors included in the initiative’s outlook.
The initial 100 days of the initiative, which has a total timeline of five years, will address seven keys tasks, according to Holbrook.
Tasks include clarifying and finalizing the mission and vision of the initiative; develop an organizational structure; develop a communication, education and outreach plan; research and recommend start up initiative; formulate a process to quickly and effectively align potential resources/investors with related initiatives; develop preliminary metrics for evaluation and draft a budget and financial plan.
The clarification and finalization of the initiative’s mission an vision has a deadline of 21 days.
A task force which was established Monday, consisting or members from the health care profession, economic development, county services, education, the Health Initiative Coordinating Council (HICCup) and the Health Leadership Network, is charged with addressing the tasks and keeping the project on schedule.
Lake County was chosen, along with four other communities, by HICCup to be a part of the Wellville initative after a nationwide search that drew 42 applications from 26 states. Remaining communities include Clatsop County,Oregon; Greater Muskegon, Michigan; Niagara Falls, New York and Spartanburg, South Carolina. Each community will work with the organization, as well as a network of partners over the next five years to produce visible improvements in five measures of health and economic vitality.
The communities will receive support in the areas of data and measurement, evidence-based health solutions and innovative financing strategies, according to Rick Brush, of HICCup. Rigorous evaluation will measure the impact of specific health initiatives, reinforced by a coordinated, community-wide approach, while generating new insights and market opportunities for producing health.
“The most important thing to understand is it is not an add-on,” Jen said. “It’s not a new entity. It is an organizing focus and container for all that we are currently doing.”
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
