During the week of Sept. 28, Crawford County Health Partners will begin a survey of Crawford County residents as part of a community health assessment process. The Crawford County Health Partners collaborative is working closely with the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio and researchers at the University of Toledo to conduct the survey. Over the next two months more than 1,000 Crawford County residents, adults aged 19 years and older, will be randomly selected to participate in surveys. Residents of Crawford County who are randomly selected are urged to complete and return the survey.

The anonymous survey asks participants to answer questions about general health, risk and protective health factors, and access to health care. These answers will create a snapshot of the health of Crawford County residents. The results will guide many public and private agencies in their program planning over the next several years by identifying key health issues, and barriers to health improvement such as gaps in services. The final community health assessment report will be published in January 2016 at which time the results will be used to prioritize needs and create a community health improvement plan.

The Crawford County Health Partners is composed of many public and private agencies that make up the public health system. Funding partners and those involved in creating the survey include: Avita Health System, Crawford County Public Health, Galion City Health Department, Crawford-Marion ADAMH Board, The Community Foundation for Crawford County, Crawford County Partnership for Education & Economic Development, City of Bucyrus, Community Counseling Services, and Wesley Chapel/Restore.