San Antonio: National Public Health Week And New SA Forward Plan

San Antonio TX

09 April, 2022

6:52 PM

Description

Press release from the City of San Antonio: Monday, April 4, 2022 CONTACT: [email protected] Cleo Garcia SAN ANTONIO (April 4, 2022) - Each year during the month of April, the American Public Health Association brings together communities across the United States to observe National Public Health Week (NPHW). This is a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation's health. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a critical reminder of the importance of public health for assuring the conditions where all can be healthy. This year, NPHW will be celebrated April 4-10, 2022. The national theme is Public Health is Where You Are. "Public health is all around us. It's the air you breathe. It's the foods you eat. It's the parks you play in. It's the roads you travel. It's our community," said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "The SA Forward health plan outlines the work we will do together to make San Antonio a more resilient and healthier place for all to enjoy." "Public health serves as a critical, yet often invisible role in our community. Public health prevents diseases, brings us immunizations, improves access to healthy foods, prevents violence, keeps our air clean and ensures a more resilient San Antonio," said City Manager Erik Walsh. The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District also announced its new strategic growth plan, SA Forward, which takes a community-informed approach to addressing San Antonio's most pressing health issues. The plan also responds to pandemic-related lessons learned around health disparities, social justice, public health capacity and the state of the public health workforce. The plan was released at the start of National Public Health Week. "Metro Health is the local public health department that offers an array of programs and services – ranging from diabetes prevention and control, nutrition education, maternal services for moms, asthma control for kids, air quality awareness, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, violence prevention and more," said Metro Health Director Claude A. Jacob. "These programs and services are in line with Metro Health's mission of preventing illness, promoting healthy behaviors and protecting against health hazards throughout our community through education, collaboration and key services." What is SA Forward? SA Forward is a five-year strategic plan that aims to protect and improve the health of San Antonio community so that all residents thrive in healthy, safe neighborhoods. The SA Forward Plan includes strategic priority areas of access to care, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)/trauma-informed care, nutrition, violence prevention, data and technology infrastructure, health equity and social justice, and mental health and community resilience. These strategic priorities incorporate the department's core strengths, identify areas of improvement, and address external trends. "I want to commend Metro Health for their stellar work and ingenuity in formulating this plan. I also want to sincerely thank residents who have contacted my office to give their input, who filled out community health surveys, and who shared with me their concerns regarding our city's health," said Councilwoman Ana Sandoval. "The SA Forward plan reflects our community, a plan we built together to guide our efforts to improve the health of all neighborhoods." As part of the SA Forward plan, Metro Health launched a new website, designed in partnership with mySidewalk. The new website tells the story of San Antonio's most pressing challenges and health issues and gives residents insights into the social and economic drivers of health. The interactive platform provides access to more than 50 data indicators and allows residents to stay informed about how social determinants health and the burden of disease are affecting their neighborhoods. The data is exportable in multiple formats. Some SA Forward findings include: The proportion of people without health insurance in San Antonio is twice as high when compared with the proportion across the US overall. South-central San Antonio has the highest proportion of people living with diabetes, ranging from 20 to 25% In San Antonio, there is a strong relationship between low education and adults reporting to have diabetes. Excessive housing costs are more common among renters than among homeowners, with almost 50% of San Antonio renters enduring excessive housing costs Community Invited to Participate As part of National Public Health Week, Metro Health will host a community event from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at Mission Marquee. During the event, Gonzaba Medical Group will provide bags of produce to families on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. Metro Health will operate a vaccine pop-up clinic and provide COVID-19 and flu vaccinations. The event will feature a musical performance by local Mariachi Campanas de America. Metro Health programs and other city departments will be on site, including WIC, SA Kids Breathe, Project Worth, Oral Health, Heathy Neighborhoods, Healthy Start, Viva Health, Diabetes Prevention & Control, Environmental Health, and Parks & Recreation. The STD/HIV Prevention & Control Program will have its mobile unit available to provide testing. Partner organizations, such as Health Confianza and Alamo Colleges District, will also participate. To learn more about Metro Health's programs, visit https://www.sanantonio.gov/health. This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author's own.