Ontario County Public Health has released an updated Community Health Assessment and 2025-2030 Community Health Improvement Plan that identifies poverty, preventive services for chronic disease and depression as the county's top health priorities.
The county said the assessment and plan were completed with UR Medicine Thompson Health, Rochester Regional Health Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic, UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health and other community partners.
The Community Health Improvement Plan, or CHIP, is designed to guide local organizations, health care providers and residents as they work on shared health goals. County officials said the plan is data-driven, community-focused and aligned with New York State Prevention Agenda priorities.
The poverty priority focuses on residents who struggle to afford basic needs such as rent, utilities, food, medication and health care. County officials said nearly one-third of Ontario County residents earn above the federal poverty level but still cannot afford basic needs, citing United Way ALICE data.
The plan calls for connecting residents with resources and strengthening local referral systems. It also includes work to identify, promote and implement programs that address poverty and reduce the percentage of people living in poverty.
The preventive services priority focuses on chronic disease prevention and control. The plan aims to improve awareness and access to screenings and other preventive care, including colorectal cancer screening for adults ages 45 to 75, blood pressure medication use among adults with hypertension and efforts to lower asthma-related emergency department visits among children.
The depression priority includes strategies to support depression screening, mental health education, connection to care and community-based support. The plan identifies rural residents, young people, Black birthing people and older adults as groups facing specific barriers or risks tied to mental health care.
"Community health improvement takes all of us," Public Health Director Kate Ott said. "This plan reflects what we heard from residents, health care partners, and community organizations across Ontario County. By working together, we can improve the lives of our residents."
The Ontario County Health Collaborative meets regularly to complete assessments, implement the plan and track progress. Partners listed by the county include Ontario County Public Health, local hospital systems, PIVITAL Public Health Partnership, FLACRA, the Ontario County Youth Bureau, Ontario Cares, the county Office for the Aging, the Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes, the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region and the Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes.
Residents, organizations and service providers are encouraged to review the reports and join the Ontario County Health Collaborative.
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