A Community Health Needs Assessment of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties is being conducted by the Berrien County Health Department and Corewell Health, and everyone’s asked to fill out the survey.
Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller tells us it asks residents about the amenities available in their community so health officials can find out what’s lacking and then work to address the deficiencies.
“When you step out the door, does it feel like a place where you could go for a walk or a run? So, community safety is in there, transportation to and from grocery stores, to and from doctor’s appointments, proximity to a heaolthcare provider to actually talk to a doctor.”
Miller says the first Community Health Needs Assessment for the area was done in 2013, and it provided some interesting insight into local needs. Mental health came up as a priority.
“We started down that track to say what are conservations we could have around mental health. Mental health is more than just a diagnosis from a doctor. It is self-care. Are you talking care of your self? What is your anxiety level? What are different relaxation techniques that you could use to address your anxiety levels?”
Miller says the assessment will be used to create a Community Health Improvement strategy.
The survey is now up online. It’ll be available through November 30.
A report outlining the results will be published in December 2024, and the implementation strategy will be available in May 2025.
