Pictured are some of the RSVP volunteers that helped make the Health Assessment possible.
On Wednesday July 29th and Thursday July 30th Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers went door to door throughout randomly selected areas of Richland County conducting the Richland Community Health Assessment, which is a survey done every three years to determine the public health needs of the community.
There were a total of 43 volunteers, about half of them being new to RSVP, and ranging from 7 years old into their late eighties. These members of the community donated their time and energy beginning with a one hour forty-five minute training session and then went on to help with administrative work or go door-to-door gathering information.
The Health Assessment poses questions about health care in the area, education, housing, eating habits, community safety and emergency preparedness, and employment providing valuable information about the needs of our community. The process is to assess, identify needs, create a plan to address those needs, implement the plan, and then evaluate progress. The Communities in Action Steering Committee manages the process and many needs are addressed at the Community Conference held in March. Some of the accomplishments that have come from this assessment in the past are the founding of the Richland County Boys and Girls Club, the Family Resource Center, the VISTA program, the community garden, the Walk-in Clinic at Sidney Health Center, and planning for the Richland Community Complex.
Previous Community Assessments have been done via phone or mail, however having volunteers conduct door-to-door surveys is a more thorough and cost effective method. It is done in collaboration with the Sidney Health Center which is required to have an assessment done every three years to maintain a non-profit status and the information gathered will be available to the community to be utilized by businesses, educators, outreach programs, and organizations and individuals writing grants.
The Richland County Health Department, Sidney Health Center, and the Communities in Action Steering Committee would like to thank all of the individuals who gave their time and energy to making the Richland Community Health Assessment happen. The gathered information is an essential part of meeting the needs of the community and making a positive impact on those who call Richland County home.
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