For the third straight year, the Health Ranking of the county has markedly improved.
“The well-being of all county residents is a top priority for the Board of Supervisors,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “The County Department of Public Health and the partnerships they have created throughout the county are paying dividends and moving us closer to achieving the goal of a having a healthier, more-prosperous community.”
On an annual basis, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, develops and distributes County Health Rankings (www.countyhealthrankings.org). The goal is to build awareness of factors influencing health and empower community leaders working to improve health.
This year’s “Overall Rankings in Health Outcomes” was released to the public on March 19, with San Bernardino County ranking 38 out of 58 California counties. While recognizing continued need for improvement, the county ranked 41 in 2018 and 46 in 2017, improving eight places over the three-year period ending in 2019.
“This improvement is the result of the collective efforts of our staff and our partners,” said San Bernardino County Health Officer Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare. “Initiatives such as Community Vital Signs (www.CommunityVitalSigns.org), which bring together critical partnerships invested in the health of the community; the Countywide Vision2BActive, which bring to the forefront the importance of the Countywide Vision and an active lifestyle; and recent accreditation efforts undertaken by dedicated Public Health staff were all crucial elements to this success.”
The department looks forward to continued improvement over the coming years.
Interested individuals seeking further information can contact the Community Outreach and Education Program at (909) 387-6604 or visit https://dph.sbcounty.gov/programs/community-outreach-education/.