Health Department

Joel Strasz - Public Health Officer
Andre Reed - Deputy Health Officer
Sarah Tackebury - Public Health Nursing Services Manager
Melissa Opheim - Public Health Services Manager/EPC
Amy Revette - WIC Manager
Mark Pickell - Business Services Manager
Joel Kwiatkowski - Environmental Health Manager
Dr. Thomas Bender - Medical Director
Dr. William Morrone - Medical Examiner
Bay County Health Department
1200 Washington Avenue
Bay City, Michigan 48708
Voice: (989) 895-4009
Fax: (989) 895-4014

Healthy People Healthy Bay

Partnering for a Healthy Bay County

 

What is Healthy People Healthy Bay

Healthy People Healthy Bay is a coalition of local community organizations dedicated to improving the health of Bay County residents.

Within Healthy People Healthy Bay are four work groups dedicated to creating an action plan to address the four priority categories identified through the Community Health Assessment (CHA).

Community Health Assessment

 

Why Was Healthy People Healthy Bay Formed?

Bay County Health Department had not conducted a community health assessment or improvement plan since 2002.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment and improvement plan.

McLaren Bay Region and the Bay County Health Department, a long with Bay Health Plan and Bay Arenac Behavioral Health Association, decided to pool resources to conduct the health assessment.

As a result of the health assessment, Healthy People Healthy Bay was formed to create a plan to address the health issues in Bay County.

 

Bay County Priority Categories

The Bay County Priority areas were derived from the Community Health Assessment that was completed in 2012. Each priority area consists of sub focus areas. Work groups were formed around each priority area.

1. Access to Care: This work group is focusing on assisting residents in establishing a medical home, obtain health insurance and establish a system of common intake and referral

2. Behavioral Health: The focus is on creating a work plan dedicated to improving mental health among adults and youth and increasing resiliency in youth.

3. Children's Health: The focus of this work group is on creating a work plan dedicated to reducing obesity, chronic disease in and abuse and neglect in children.

4. Chronic Diseases: This work groups focus is on preventing and managing chronic disease in older adults.

 

Community Partners

Mclaren Bay Region

Bay Health Plan

Bay Area Human Services Collaborative Council

McLaren Bay Special Care

Pinconning Area Schools

Essexville Public Schools

Great Start Collaborative

Neighborhood Resource Center

Bay County Prevention Network

Sacred Heart Rehabilitation

Bay County Public School Academy

Child Abuse and Neglect Council- Great Lakes Bay region

Division on Aging

Bay Area Community Foundation

Dow Bay Area Family Y

Girls on The Run


The Community Health Assessment and Improvement plan was possible with support from the Bay Area Community Foundation, Bay Health Plan and a grant provided by The University of Michigan Public Health Training Center.