The Erie County Department of Health (ECDH) is inviting community members to help improve Erie County’s overall public health efforts by sharing their insights. Interested individuals are asked to participate in the Community Advisory Board (CAB).
The ECDH CAB is intended to consist of members who represent a wide range of lived experiences in Erie County. It will assist ECDH in developing public health approaches, strategies and collaborations to best serve all residents in Erie County.
Erie County residents currently experience different health outcomes based on the neighborhoods where they live, work, play and learn. Access to food, shelter, a living wage, transportation, information, education, family and community support all affect our lifelong health outcomes. For example, in Erie County, 37% of high school graduates are obese while only 29% of college graduates are obese. Additionally, 26% of residents who earn $20,000 per year smoke while only 8% of those who make over $76,000 per year smoke.
“By bringing together a team of community members who can share their experiences of what works and what does not, we hope to close the gaps that exist in health outcomes in our community,” says Alivia Haibach, Health Equity Coordinator. “One of the aims of the ECDH CAB is to help the ECDH respond accordingly to the needs of residents who experience preventable diseases at rates higher than the average for Erie County and for Pennsylvania.
“The goal for the Erie County Department of Health Community Advisory Board is to make sure everyone has a seat at the table and the opportunity to collaborate with a team of other citizens to drive the direction of public health in our community in a way that is truly representative of the priorities of our community.
“We are looking for members who are from a wide range of backgrounds. They do not need to have any medical or health-related background or experience, but we want them to have one thing in common: they should be committed to improving the health of our community.”
Residents of Erie County who are 18 years and older can apply for membership to the Erie County Department of Health Community Advisory Board. Please visit: https://bit.ly/3xCKxu6.
For details, contact Alivia Haibach at ahaibach@eriecountypa.gov or 814-451-7872.
