Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- The Effingham County Health Department (ECHD), in collaboration with the Effingham County Health Coalition, local community leaders, and partners, is putting together a comprehensive health plan for Effingham County. In order to accurately assess the county’s health needs, they have created the 2026 Effingham County Community Health Survey that is available to all individuals who live, work, or play in Effingham County. Our previous IPLAN is located on the About Us section of the ECHD website.
If you would like to make your voice heard about what needs to be improved in our county, please take the time to fill out the Effingham County Community Health Survey on ECHD’s website or Facebook page. You can also stop by the health department and fill out the survey in person, or you can call 217-342-9237 and ask to fill it out over the phone. The survey should only take a few minutes to complete.
The 2022-2027 IPLAN identified Access to Care, Behavioral Health (Mental Health and Substance Abuse), and Cancer as the three strategic issues we wanted to improve during the 5-year cycle. Since then, we have seen improvements to Access to Care in the way of CEFS Effingham County Public Transportation incorporating billing insurance for transporting individuals for medical appointments, E-Trax started, Public Health Dental Hygienists Clinics began, area dentists have risen to the challenge by partnering with HSHS St Anthony and Catholic Charities Dental Voucher Program, and some have hosted free dental clinic days. Improvements to Behavioral Health include, but are not limited to, more mental health providers with innovative therapy solutions, wrap around programs, Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC), emerging as a leader in the community champions for those with lived experience, and improved access to Narcan throughout the county. Cancer early detection and prevention, especially around colorectal cancers (one of the specific types of cancer we focused on improving, along with prostate and lung), has seen an increase in access to free or reduced-rate FIT kits that detect colon cancer without undergoing a colonoscopy. We have also hosted kidney mobiles and family planning mobiles to increase access to medical care at reduced or free-rates. These, along with continuing to educate about the Tobacco Quit Line and the hazards of vaping, have promoted cancer prevention initiatives in the county. If there are other projects happening that need support, please feel free to reach out on how to get involved and be a part of the conversation around improving our community’s health.
The IPLAN is a mandated planning process that all local health departments in Illinois must conduct every five years. During the assessment, the health department surveys the community and analyzes the results, along with available data, to identify the community’s top health priorities for 2027-2032 and develop objectives and interventions. It is a critical tool both locally and for the state. Locally, it supports local organizations working to tackle community priorities, offers support for interventions, and helps to access and give priority to funding and grants. At the State level, legislators and the Illinois Department of Public Health can use it to determine funding priorities.
You can find more information about the current IPLAN on the ECHD website effcohealth.org.