Community Health Assessment to Include Outlying Communities – Input Sought

The Missoula County Health Department is adding a section addressing the health of rural communities to their Community Health Assessment revision for 2017. Residents in outlying communities in Missoula County are encouraged to share what health looks like to them and how the Missoula County Health Department can improve health in the rural areas of the county.

This is the first time county health officials have expanded beyond Missoula City limits since the first assessment in 2011. In the past they have been unable to devote the time and energy to focusing on the rural communities.

Mary Parrish is doing the outreach into the outlying communities. She is a graduate student at the University of Montana in the Community Health and Prevention Sciences Program and is interning with the Missoula County Health Department this summer.

“I’m pounding the pavement to see who wants to talk to me,” said Parrish.

After starting in May, Parrish reached out to the local community councils in Missoula County and met with the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. She also had a booth at the Bob Marshall Music Festival and talked with many of the local vendors.

Parrish’s job is to find out what people like about their community, its strengths and things that are lacking and what the county could be doing better, etc. Parrish hopes to broaden the definition of health.

“Health really is anything and everything when you think about public health,” said Parrish. “That’s why it is things like transportation, accessibility, what is the water and air quality, what are the recreational opportunities, what is the education system like. Because it is such a broad definition, it leaves it open for a very wide variety of responses but that is what we are looking for.”

Parrish helped develop a 10-question survey. The first half gives the county an idea of demographics. The second half of the survey consists of short answer questions. Parrish said the short answer half of the survey is the most critical.

“We really want to hear from people,” said Parrish. “We can gather hard data and run different reports [from standardized surveys] on demographics, income, unemployment, households, but the whole point of me being here is to get a story to go with these numbers. Talking to people and listening to them is more telling than a number on a page.”

While the survey targets specific questions, Parrish likes meeting with people and just having an open dialogue.

“The more that we can create and raise awareness for what is going on outside of Missoula the better I think for the whole county,” said Parrish.

The survey will be available until Aug. 8 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CHA_2017. Hard copies are also available at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. Those interested can also meet with Parrish in person at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation office Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Aug. 2-4 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.