205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 04/03/2024 - The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) is excited to announce the completion of the most recent Community Health Assessment (CHA) for Kittitas County! The CHA is conducted every five years and provides a comprehensive evaluation of the county’s health. The finalized CHA is now accessible on the Kittitas County Health Department’s website at Kittitas County Public Health | Home Page.
The key findings in the 2022 CHA show that Kittitas County remains generally healthy and ranks in the top half of the healthiest counties in the state. Overall, the main concerns and findings are related to continued impacts from community growth, community safety, behavioral health trends, topics of youth and family, and healthcare use and access. Public Health Director Chelsey Loeffers highlights the significance of the CHA, stating that, “the CHA is a foundational cornerstone of public health practices. By collecting, tracking, analyzing, and disseminating data on the health of our community, it supports informed community decision making, health issue prioritization, and the subsequent development and implementation of the Community Health Improvement Plan.” The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is the roadmap to address the health concerns identified in the CHA through the creation of action-based goals and strategies. KCPHD will release more information when the CHIP is finalized. The CHA process was led by KCPHD and a committee of local partners and stakeholders who provided significant input and support. KCPHD would especially like to thank the Kittitas County Health Network for their dedication and participation in this project, and the community partners who provided meeting spaces for the committee to meet and work in. A full list of acknowledgments and participants can be found in the CHA on page 3. The CHA is available online for public use. “Our partners and our staff worked hard over the two years to put this document together and our hope is that our community finds this useful,” states Director Loeffers. For additional information about the Assessment Program please visit Kittitas County Public Health | Home Page or contact KCPHD at 509-962-7515.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
###
Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, 509-962-7515