WC Wisconsin News

The La Crosse County Government has released the Health Department's 2024 annual Impact Report, highlighting the department's collaborative efforts with community members. This announcement was featured in a March 5 County Connection Issue.

In 2024, the La Crosse County Health Department contributed to community health by offering free dental care to 729 students through the Seal-A-Smile program, supporting 2,530 individuals via the Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) program, distributing 1,047 doses of Narcan, and conducting 1,293 inspections of licensed facilities for safety assurance.

"Our department continues to lean in toward our goal of working collaboratively with health system partners, community partners, schools, businesses, governmental agencies, and community members to build collective impact toward meeting the needs of our county," said Audra Martine, Health Officer. "We look forward to the coming year and continued efforts to address our health priorities guided by data and community input."

According to the report, the department addressed key community health priorities from the 2022-2024 Community Health Assessment. These priorities included access to care, behavioral health and addiction issues, and healthy environments. To enhance healthcare access, clinical services were expanded through programs like Seal-A-Smile. Outreach was conducted for unsheltered populations and partnerships with community organizations were strengthened. In terms of behavioral health and addiction challenges, efforts included studying suicide and overdose trends for evidence-based recommendations. The availability of Narcan was increased through collaboration with the local Tavern League. Additionally, the Alliance to Heal initiative was led by the department to tackle addiction-related issues.

The La Crosse County Health Department remains committed to safeguarding residents' health through partnerships within the community. As said on their website, they employ data-driven initiatives and essential public health services focusing on access to care, behavioral health challenges, and creating healthy environments.