Douglas, Washoe and Storey rounded out the top three highest-ranking Nevada counties for health outcomes in a new report through the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program, which highlighted how certain problems — including the severity of the housing crunch in the north and the scarcity of child care in the south — are hitting some regions harder than others.
The program, which measures the health of residents in nearly every county in the country, assessed data across a multitude of factors that affect health outcomes, including health behaviors, clinical care, and social, economic and physical environment. Established by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the goal of the program is to improve health outcomes and to close the health disparities between people of different socioeconomic statuses.
While Washoe County ranked well in terms of the percentage of adult smokers, adult obesity and child poverty, it received poor rankings regarding housing problems such as overcrowding and high housing costs. The county received Nevada’s second-highest ranking in residents experiencing housing problems at 17.9 percent — behind Clark County at 19.5 percent.
“As a county, we are making great strides in public health but there is still much to accomplish,” Kevin Dick, District Health Officer in Washoe County, said in a press release. “Working with partners in the community, we can use these rankings and the data behind them to identify and address barriers to healthy lives for residents of Washoe County.”
To address the issue of housing, Mary Jane Ostrander, division manager at the Carson City Human Services Division (CCHS), said at a community meeting that her agency will lease properties to be used as shared housing. Using a federal Housing and Urban Development grant that will take effect on Oct. 1, three to five individuals will be housed together in a unit until they can find their own places.
Ostrander said the Northern Regional Behavioral Health Housing Subcommittee will review opportunities to provide supportive housing for people with behavioral health issues. She added that a nonprofit organization called JUST in HOPE Foundation is fundraising and planning to build Northern Nevada’s first housing project specifically for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Rayona Lavoie, a management analyst at the Washoe County Health District, said the Eddie House (a shelter for homeless, runaway, foster and other at-risk youth) received funds from the Washoe County Health District in 2021, which helped increase the number of transitional age youth served through the community-based living program.
“Outreach efforts have expanded into motels and they’ve also partnered with Washoe County Jan Evans Juvenile Justice Center to make sure that individuals are getting care and services,” Lavoie added.
Lavoie said the Eddie House accommodated about 300 youths and of those individuals, 18 percent had an increase in employment, and eight transitioned to stable housing.
Public health officials at the Washoe County Health District called for more emphasis on eradicating food deserts and improving access to youth services, education and employment, as many of the public health issues have been overshadowed by the pandemic for the past two years.
Overall Rankings in Health Factors
The overall rankings in health factors represent what influences the health of residents living a county. They are an estimate of the future health of counties as compared to other counties within a state. The ranks are based on four types of measures: health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic, and physical environment. Humboldt County rated 11th, Pershing County 13th and Lander County 10th in overall health.
Overall Rankings in Health Outcomes
The overall rankings in health outcomes represent how healthy counties are within the state. The healthiest county in the state is ranked #1. The ranks are based on two types of measures: how long people live and how healthy people feel while alive. In this category, Humboldt County rated 12th, Pershing County rated 4th and Lander County rated 15th.