Thursday, June 19, 2003

Local Organizations Target Heart Disease at Health Forum

Over one hundred people gathered today to focus on helping Atlantic County residents live longer, healthier lives. At the Community Health Status Forum, hosted by the Partnership for a Healthy Community, participants examined a comprehensive local study indicating that reducing heart disease, especially among minority populations, is the number one health priority in the county.

"Research like this is essential to ensure that our health improvement programs are effective and that we plan for and respond to the most critical needs in our community," commented Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson.

Human service providers from various local organizations attended the forum, which was held at Atlantic Cape Community College. Each participant received a tool kit detailing model projects and programs that have been effective in decreasing heart disease in other communities.

Today's forum was based on the results of the 2001-2002 Community Health Needs Assessment, a comprehensive research project designed to assess the county's health status and prioritize improvements. A summary of this study is available on the Atlantic County Division of Public Health Web site at www.aclink.org/publichealth.

The needs assessment and health forum are part of the Partnership's ongoing efforts to track local health trends and develop programs to improve health throughout Atlantic County.

For more information about the Partnership for a Healthy Community, call 609-645-5935.

County News