Residents in the area may be receiving a survey in the mail that will help counties and healthcare providers establish priorities to make communities healthier.
The Central Minnesota Community Health Survey is a collaborative effort between public health departments in Sherburne, Benton and Stearns counties, CentraCare Health System, Fairview Northland Medical Center and United Way.
The data gathered from the survey will be used by public health and hospitals to develop their community health improvement plan.
“It helps us identify and prioritize our community-specific health needs,” Kara Zoller of Sherburne County Health & Human Services (HHS) told the county board last week.
“The last survey was sent out in 2013 to about 9,000 households in the three counties.”
There was about a 19% return rate, which Zoller said was good compared to responses to some surveys.
The survey sent out in 2013 was eight pages long and had 44 questions.
There were general health questions, like: How long has it been since you last visited a doctor for a routine checkup? How would you rate your overall level of stress? Do you currently have any kind of healthcare coverage? and, Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
The survey also has a section where respondents could rate their health care delivery, social conditions and environment.
Sherburne County results from the 2013 survey showed 78.2% of respondents said financial stress was a moderate or severe problem. Unhealthy eating habits was also an issue, with 74.2% in the moderate or serious category. That was followed by lack of physical exercise (70.7%), obesity among adults (69.8%), unemployment (69%) and obesity among children (67.4%).
The results from that survey helped HHS develop its community health assessment, which listed the 10 most important community health issues.
Zoller said this year’s survey was scheduled to be mailed out this week and she is hoping for a good response again.
Residential Facility
The board approved an agreement with Village Ranch, Inc. to guarantee one bed in a girls’ residential facility in Annandale at a cost of $215 per day. The two-year cost to the county is $78,475 per year.
HHS Director Mary Jo Cobb said the county placed 14 girls in 2014 and 2015 that would have been appropriate for the Annandale facility. The cost in 2015 was $139,717.
Those girls were placed in facilities in Lino Lakes, Brainerd, Hastings, Cokato and as far away as Hayward, WI, said Cobb.
“We would see a significant reduction in travel time,” said Cobb.
“Whenever a child is in placement we have to see them face-to-face at least once a month. Sometimes we have to go and get them for court.”
Earlier this year, the county was looking into a proposal from NEXUS, which was asking for the county to guarantee 1.375 beds at a rate of $332 per day, which would have cost $166,623 for the year.
Cobb said Village Ranch has been operating other facilities in Wright Co. successfully for many years and is intending to purchase the facility in Annandale. The firm is looking for commitments from counties to guarantee the beds are paid for in the 16-bed facility.
Other counties in the agreement include Wright, Stearns, Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs and Chisago.
