San Luis Obispo County’s Department of Public Health has released its latest Community Health Improvement Plan. The plan, which is created every five years in collaboration with community partners and with feedback from thousands of residents, serves as a roadmap for improving the overall health of the county.
This year’s plan focuses on three specific priorities: mental health and substance use, healthy neighborhoods, and access to care. Dr. Penny Borenstein, SLO County Public Health Officer, emphasized the importance of early identification and intervention when it comes to substance abuse and mental health issues. She also highlighted the need for creating safe spaces like parks and providing access to a variety of healthcare providers in order to address the unique needs and strengths of San Luis Obispo County.
The plan was developed based on data from a community health assessment conducted in August 2023, which received responses from nearly 4,000 individuals in the county. Adian Nazmi, a member of the collaboration that conducted the assessment and a professor at Cal Poly, emphasized the importance of promoting optimal health through creating opportunities and structures that support it.
Dr. Borenstein expressed her hopes for the future of San Luis Obispo County’s health outcomes by emphasizing the need for ongoing conversations with the community and accountability in working towards improving health. By leveraging resources from community partners, organizations and educational institutions like Cal Poly, she believes that positive change can be driven to improve overall health outcomes in San Luis Obispo County.