What would make Homer healthier?
That question was addressed by 39 health-care providers, agency representatives, teachers and concerned community members last Friday, but the focus of the meeting was much more specific.
“The purpose (of the meeting) is to help identify the leading issue we as a community would like to work on for community health improvement,” said Derotha Ferraro of South Peninsula Hospital and a member of the MAPP, Mobilizing for Action Through Planning and Partnerships, steering committee that has taken the effort.
Since implementing a MAPP-designed approach in 2008, Homer gradually has been sharpening the focus on what it means to be a healthy community. A 2010 assessment pointed to three general areas of community concern: connecting community resources, addressing substance abuse and domestic violence, and promoting healthy lifestyles and choices.
A group addressing connecting community resources initially considered developing a location to bring resources together, said Patty Boyle of the Independent Living Center. A more realistic approach was creation of an online resource guide that now is in need of updating. Another goal of that group was to prepare a booklet for emergency food/housing providers that listed resources available.
Jessica Lawmaster of Haven House described accomplishments of a group addressing substance abuse and domestic violence.
“There was a neat evolution in the past month of how those two issues are not independent of each other, but are issues that co-occur,” said Lawmaster.
The group has begun exploring the impact of adverse childhood experiences and what it means to be a trauma-informed community.
Deadline nears for community to participate in poll to determine which issues to tackle first
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