January 24, 2023
The Community Health Corner
Submitted by Stephanie Gutierrez
Community health uses science-based approaches for the greatest health benefit to the greatest number of people by addressing the social, economic and structural drivers that impact everyone’s health. The National Extension Framework for Health Equity and Well-being recommends using community development practices to ensure that every person has the opportunity to "attain his or her full health potential" and no one is "disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances." The following tools and resources can be used to improve health equity and well-being by working with communities to achieve the nation’s Healthy People 2030 objectives.
READ NOW: Obesity is one of the nation’s most pressing health problems and is related to the growing number of Americans living with a chronic disease such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. TFAH’s State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report found that four in ten American adults have obesity, and those rates continue to climb nationwide and within population groups. Read more here.
DISCOVER NOW: The Community Guide has released a new What Works Fact Sheet that features an easy-to-read table showing Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommendations and findings for evaluated intervention approaches related to pregnancy health.
USE NOW: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the resource, Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People At Risk for or Experiencing Homelessness. This guide highlights strategies for behavioral health and housing providers to conduct outreach and engage with individuals experiencing homelessness, initiate use of behavioral health treatment as they wait to receive stable housing and retain them in their recovery efforts once housed.
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; and Stephanie Gutierrez, smgutier@k-state.edu.