Peoria County – At the March 18, 2013 Public Health Policy and Legislative Breakfast, hosted by the Peoria County Board of Health, Public Health officials from five area counties provided local legislators with community Public Health priorities.
Dr. David Trachtenbarg, Peoria County Board of Health President, welcomed local legislators and Public Health officials from Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Marshall, and Knox Counties. Greg Chance, Administrator at Peoria City/County Health Department reviewed the current status of the health of the community and the return on investment of public health activities. “For every $1 spent on prevention, $5.6 are saved in health spending. Cancer deaths decrease, diabetes deaths decrease, cardiovascular deaths decrease, and infant deaths decrease. We know that 75% of our health spending in on chronic conditions, many of which can be completely eliminated through prevention measures.”
Chance identified public health priorities for legislators to help counties address public health issues. Topics of discussion included:
• The administration of Maternal and Child Health Programs within state agencies.
• Secure adequate funding for local governmental health protection operations.
• Support the establishment of a consumer friendly health benefits exchange.
• Support the passage of comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation.
Additionally, meeting participants discussed Priority Community Health Issues, Strategic Plans, Community Health Rankings and determinants of health. Chance concluded, “With a shifting political and fiscal landscape, our health system requires us to focus our efforts this year toward strengthening partnerships, increasing legislator and citizen engagement, and improving health outcomes for individuals in all our counties.”
For more information on important Public Health issues, visit the Peoria City/County Health Department website at www.pcchd.org.