• Many Franklin County residents lack access to basic living needs, such as safe, affordable housing and nutritious food, and it is negatively affecting their health. Feeling safe from crime is critical to a healthy community because it benefits mental health and physical activity.
• Health disparities due to racial and ethnic discrimination result in gaps in health outcomes. Our residents of color are concerned about access to quality medical services. These concerns reinforce declarations of our health departments that racism is a public health crisis and our need for commitment to equity.
• Poor mental health, exacerbated by a lack of access to mental health care services, is an issue for many residents. Existing mental health services may be underutilized due to stigma associated with seeking help.
• A high number of infants are dying in our community before they reach their first birthday. Pre-pregnancy and prenatal health of women are areas of focus if we are to reduce our infant mortality rate in Franklin County.

Other health issues raised in the report include the need to increase cancer screening and physical activity and decrease tobacco use (especially among youth), firearm injuries and incidents of sexually transmitted disease.

The HealthMap helps drive initiatives that improve individual and community health and serves as a guide to target and prioritize resources, strengthen community relationships, and provide information that contributes to keeping people healthy. The report covers social determinants of health, health resource availability, behavioral health, wellness care, maternal and child health, oral health, mental and social health, infectious diseases, youth issues, and death, illness and injury.

COHC and our health departments now turn to addressing priority areas through a collective impact model. As leading health organizations in our community, we are working to better align our health improvement efforts. As we have done in the past, in areas such as infant mortality and drug overdoses, our hospitals and health departments are working to better coordinate efforts to address our community’s most pressing health needs. We are reaching out to community organizations, state and local elected officials and other community leaders that serve, care for and support our residents to join us in this work.

• ADAMH Board
• African American Male Wellness Agency
• BREAD
• Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging
• Central Ohio Hospital Council
• Central Ohio Trauma System
• City of Columbus
• Columbus City Schools
• Columbus Public Health
• Community Shelter Board
• Directions for Youth & Families
• Educational Service Center
• Equitas Health
• Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services
• Franklin County Board of Commissioners
• Franklin County Coroner’s Office
• Franklin County Office of Aging
• Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services
• Franklin County Public Health
• Future Ready Five
• Health Impact Ohio
• Human Services Chamber
• Mid-Ohio Food Collective
• Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
• Mount Carmel Health System
• Life Expectancy Taskforce
• Mid-Ohio Food Collective
• Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
• Mount Carmel Health System
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Ohio Association of Community Health Centers
• Ohio Asian American Health Coalition
• Ohio Department of Health Disability and Health Program
• Ohio Latino Affairs Commission
• OhioHealth
• OSU Extension
• The Ohio State University College of Public Health
• The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
• United Way of Central Ohio
• Veteran’s Service Commission
• Workforce Development Board

In past years, the 3 organizations completed individual needs assessments. Links to the previous reports are provided below.

https://myfcph.org/health-systems-planning/chip/
https://www.columbus.gov/CommunityHealthAssessment/
Franklin County HealthMap2019