Purpose of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
The Wyandot County Health Alliance consists of entities, businesses and private citizens within Wyandot County dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our community. The Alliance was formed to review important data to help to clarify and understand our general health status as a community; identify gaps in services and unmet needs; and help to identify and focus priority areas of concern as community members.
Vision of Wyandot County Health Alliance:
A healthier Wyandot County
Mission of Wyandot County Health Alliance:
Mobilizing partnerships to improve community wellness and quality of life
Alignment with National and State Standards:
The current Wyandot County Health Improvement Plan priorities align perfectly with state and national priorities. Wyandot County will be addressing the following priorities: obesity, mental health, substance abuse, and injury prevention.
Background of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
In November, 1998, a Wyandot County health assessment was provided by Tiffin University. Laying this foundation of recorded health perceptions led to the formation of the Wyandot County Health Alliance in August 2002. In 2003 the Wyandot County Health Alliance initiated the most comprehensive, county-wide, standardized community needs assessment ever conducted for Wyandot County. Funding barriers were identified and minimized, and execution of the assessment began.
The health assessment was a standardized survey, which allowed us to establish a benchmark from which we could compare Wyandot County data to the state, the nation, and other counties. The 2003 data was utilized to make informed decisions to address the current community needs through funding and program development.
In August 2003, the completed results were unveiled to the community. For every local dollar invested in the 2003 health assessment, $12 in outside funding was then secured over the next thirty months. These funds were utilized to address community needs. In addition, the Wyandot County Youth Commission was formed, and the strategic planning process for Partnerships for Success was implemented.
In 2006 our information was three years old, we decided it was time for county agencies to check on our collective progress and determine our current status for the community’s well-being. Health Alliance partners pledged to fiscally support repeating the county-wide community health assessment. In 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 the Health Alliance agreed to collect quantifiable health data through approved research methods which can be replicated over time, measuring the same geographic area, and using the same methodology to compare results.
Strong relationships between resourceful partners sustains the Health Alliance. We will continue to conduct strategically planned assessments every three years gathering health information and presenting it to our community for cooperative action toward health improvement. Monitoring health statistics and socio-economic profiles of our community will create compelling evidence to guide the programs and services rendered to the people of Wyandot County.
Parameters of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
- The Health Alliance defines its function as a coordinated, cohesive and enduring community partnership making informed choices based upon majority decisions.
- The Health Alliance will work within the parameters of available funding.
- The Health Alliance will communicate with and educate the community through marketing techniques and strategies developed by its membership.
Authority of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
- Mobilize community partners for the betterment of the community.
- Formulate and/or monitor survey questions for benchmarking.
- Survey and collect data, putting it into a usable format.
- Analyze data collection methodology for Internal Review Board (IRB) processes.
- Share data through marketing techniques designed to educate the public.
- Use data to determine program effectiveness and to help garner funds for community services and program changes as needed.
- Use special workgroups as designated necessary by the membership.
- Monitor the progress of the strategies identified in the Community Health Improvement Plan.
- Change strategies in the Community Health Improvement Plan as necessary.
Products of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
- Wyandot County Community Health Status Assessment Booklet (and thumb drives)
- Documentation of our Strategic Planning process and methodology used.
- Documentation of our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) specific to Wyandot County.
- Documentation of continuous CHIP evaluation process.
- Documentation of meeting minutes.
- Documentation of meeting membership.
- Annual solicitation of membership.
- Comprehensive standardized health data specific to Wyandot County.
- Comprehensive resource directory and database specific to Wyandot County.
- Memorandum of Agreement for membership
- Documentation of voluntary membership dues and financial transactions.
- Documentation of funding garnered by membership through assessment statistics.
Meetings of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
Meeting frequency shall be quarterly for community health improvement plan updates and more often as needed to complete strategic planning processes, review data, and develop community plans.
Chairperson: Barbara Mewhorter, Administrator, Wyandot County Public Health
2018 Membership of the Wyandot County Health Alliance:
- Fairhaven Community, United Church Homes, Inc.
- Family and Children First Council
- Firelands
- First Citizens National Bank
- First National Bank of Sycamore
- HHWP Community Action Commission
- Hospice of Wyandot County
- Mental Health and Recovery Board of Seneca, Sandusky, and Wyandot Counties
- Ohio Traffic Safety Office
- Open Door Resource Center
- United Way of Wyandot County
- Upper Sandusky Chamber of Commerce
- Upper Sandusky EVSD
- Upper Sandusky, City of
- Waistline Risk Solutions
- Wyandot County Board of Health
- Wyandot County Council on Aging
- Wyandot County Commissioners
- Wyandot County Board of Developmentally Disabled
- Wyandot County Department of Job & Family Services
- Wyandot County Office of Economic Development
- Wyandot County Public Health
- Wyandot County Safe Communities Grant
- Wyandot County Skilled Nursing and Rehab
- Wyandot Memorial Hospital