(Monticello, NY) - Sullivan County Chairman Luis Alvarez, Health and Family Services Chair Nadia Rajsz, County Manager Joshua Potosek, Public Health Director Nancy McGraw and the Healthy Sullivan Committee of the Legislature invites media members and the public to a press conference regarding the health status of the county on Thursday March 30, 2017. Several Healthy Sullivan Committee members, legislators, government and elected officials, and not for profit organizations in Sullivan County will be on hand to talk about the initiatives that have been taking place to impact quality of life for residents.
The Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings will be released on March 29th and while Sullivan has historically been low in the rankings, there are substantial community health improvement projects underway across the county to reverse these alarming trends. Improving health is a complex, multi-layered issue that requires a sustained effort and engagement from all sectors of a community to change. County leaders are working tirelessly to create a “Culture of Health” in the county that inspires every business, agency, non-profit organization and schools to look at ways that they can inspire policies and programs that promote healthy communities and environments in which we live, work and play.
Health and Family Services Chair Nadia Rajsz stated “We have been actively working with various partners for the past year promoting the health and wellness of our residents and employees. There is much more to be done and we are all working together to achieve that goal.”
Public Health Director Nancy McGraw notes that there are many factors that go into improving a community’s health ranking. The social determinants of health include equitable access to health care for all, safe and affordable housing, employment and education, complete streets, opportunities for physical exercise and access to nutritious food – to name a few. In partnership with our Healthy Sullivan committee leaders and their organizations, we have been working to shape policies to promote better health outcomes for Sullivan County. This will take years of sustained effort, collaboration, and investments.” We welcome others to “Walk with Us.”
“We need to start by making the healthy choice the easy choice for people” says Amanda Langseder, Director of Community Health for the Greater Hudson Valley Health System which represents Catskill Regional Medical Center. She continues, “We are all creatures of habit and are greatly influenced by our environment. If we purposefully create environments and policies that support healthy decision making, we will see results.”
This press conference is an opportunity to interview and talk with our local leaders in health improvement to learn about how everyone can play a part in improving our ranking and more importantly improving the overall health of Sullivan residents. In addition, exciting information will be shared about new county policies that have been adopted to support health, as well as upcoming county-wide training being offered to anyone who would like to champion the cause in their own community.
| When: | Thursday, March 30, 2017 |
| Time: | 10:00AM |
| Where: | Sullivan County Government Center, 2nd Floor Legislative Hearing Room 100 North Street Monticello, NY 12701 |
For further information, please contact Joshua Potosek, Sullivan County Manager, at 845-807-0450.
