Above / DuPage County Health Department Community Center with NAMI of DuPage is located on the campus of DuPage County Government on N County Farm Road in Wheaton where folks promote that good health happens when residents live, learn, work and play with plenty of activity. Keep moving!
DUPAGE COUNTY—The DuPage County Health Department is pleased to announce that DuPage County has once again been recognized as one of the healthiest counties in Illinois. Developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the county rankings are based on quality of life factors such as longevity and overall health status, including physical and mental health.
Health Factors (how healthy we can be) and Health Outcomes (how healthy we are) detail the rankings of the counties in all 50 states. DuPage County has been in the top five in both categories for several years and is currently ranked Number 1 in Health Factors and Number 2 in Health Outcomes among the 102 counties in Illinois.
The report, County Health Rankings 2019 includes interactive maps that offer an overview of the county health rankings in Illinois.
“We are very proud to be among the healthiest counties in Illinois,” said Health Department Executive Director Karen Ayala. “The high rankings are a direct result of our strong healthcare partners and other services provided to residents that support healthy living.”
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said, “It’s a tribute to our DuPage County Health Department and the 73,000 dedicated people employed in the healthcare sector in DuPage that we have once again achieved this designation. Together, our continuing focus must be ensuring adequate access to healthcare for our residents so that they can enjoy the healthiest lives possible.”
“Regardless of the ranking, we believe there is room for improvement,” Ayala said. “We will continue to work with our community partners to develop innovative and effective programs based on the health needs of our residents.”
Rankings supported by county-wide partnerships
The rankings are the outcome of robust county-wide partnerships that meet the priority health needs of residents, such as those under Impact DuPage:
- DuPage Health Coalition’s work guiding Access to Care priorities;
- FORWARD’s efforts to increase healthy lifestyles among residents;
- The work of the DuPage Housing Collaborative; and
- The ongoing efforts of the Heroin/Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Taskforce, Prevention Leadership Team and Behavioral Health Collaborative to address substance use and mental health needs of residents.
Report submitted by Don Bolger, Public Information Officer, DuPage County Health Department.
RELATED PN POST / For good health and good causes, check out Naperville’s Runs, Walks & Bike Rides.
