After more than 3 months and thousands of responses to community surveys, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is reassessing the city's strategy for wellness. How could the new strategy impact residents' quality of life in coming years?
Public health officials are expected to present survey findings to City Council next week, indicating the department's priorities for 2020 to 2022. Issues on the forefront of this next plan include childhood trauma, nutrition and access to health care.
The agency's current strategy targets six focus areas and projects through December 2019. During this two year period, the Metropolitan Health District has helped establish a task force targeting the opioid epidemic, committed the city to preventing the spread of HIV, and supported an ordinance raising the age for sale of tobacco products to 21.
What are the community's most pressing health-related needs? Where are the biggest disparities? What are the upstream factors that lead to these issues in our community? How can local experts and organizations help curb adverse trends?
How does the 2020-22 plan differ from previous efforts? How could a different approach and new priorities advance efforts to achieve better health outcomes in San Antonio?
Guests:
- Colleen Bridger, interim assistant city manager for the City of San Antonio
- Jennifer Herriott, assistant director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District's Community Health Division
- Junda Woo, MD, MPH, medical director for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District
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This interview aired on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.
