Cortland Counts 2010: An Assessment of Health and Well Being in Cortland County
Overview
Since 2001, the Seven Valleys Health Coalition (SVHC), Cortland County Health Department, SUNY Cortland, Cortland Regional Medical Center, and the United Way for Cortland County have been working as the Community Assessment Team (CAT), to create Cortland Counts, an annual "Report Card" on the health and well-being of our community.
This tenth annual Report Card for Cortland County provides a brief update of data presented in Cortland Counts: An Assessment of Health and Well-Being in Cortland County, 2009 Edition. As in previous editions, the Report Card is organized into five categories: 1) Health and Safety; 2) Social Cohesion, Culture and Recreation; 3) Employment, Economy, and Welfare; 4) Housing and the Environment; and 5) Positive Development Through the Life Stages.
Community Participation
Data provided from focus groups and citizen surveys orchestrated by the CAT, as well as from other community research and feedback, is presented to the community at the annual Cortland Counts Community Forum. At the first annual forum in 2002, attendees identified priority issues and created a Strategic Plan with three tracks: Economic Development, Youth, and Health.
At the January 2006 Cortland Counts Forum, Housing was added as a fourth track, in response to the area’s growing need for better quality, affordable housing. At the 2010 forum, Sustainability was added as a fifth track. This track was developed based on an increasing community interest in supporting local businesses, raising awareness of environmental concerns, and developing the area’s sustainable resources. In each case an organization, or a coalition of organizations, has emerged to focus on the needs in each of the five track areas:
• The Business Development Corporation is spearheading Economic Development.
• The improvement of conditions for Youth in our community is being organized under the auspices of the Cortland Area Communities That Care Coalition (CACTC).
• The Seven Valleys Health Coalition, in conjunction with the County Health Department, Cortland Regional Medical Center, Family Health Network, and others, is directing attention to Health issues.
• Housing is being addressed by several agencies, but this track lacks the leadership needed to steer priority goals.
• SUNY Cortland is leading Sustainability efforts.
The entire community is invited to join key leaders at the annual Cortland Counts Community Forum. Broad participation is essential to ensure that priorities are refined and the strategic plans are updated to best meet the needs of the entire community.
The Cortland Counts reports form the basis of county-wide plans of action for many community agencies. Local government officials, organizations, and community grant writers delight in finding so much information about Cortland County in one place.
Format
Data from Cortland County are compared to upstate, state, and national data. Upstate NY consists of 57 of 62 counties (NY City counties excluded). Single-year data are provided, except for those indicators with very few cases; then the rate is given as the average of 3-5 years. This report also includes the Healthy People 2010 goals established by the federal government; these serve as a guide in establishing our local priorities.
An apple symbol is used to indicate a favorable status, while a magnifying glass symbol indicates that the community should take a closer look at this indicator. The up and down arrows in the last column, “Cortland County Goal,” signal the desired direction of change.
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