Healthy Community
Nutrition • Access to Healthcare • Mental Health
Improving all-around health for all
WHY IT MATTERS: Johnson and Washington Counties continue to be wonderful places to live, raise a family, and retire. However, many of our neighbors still face persistent disparities in education, income, and health. Factors like race and ZIP code significantly influence one’s quality of life, life expectancy, and health outcomes. United Way partners with community members to help individuals overcome obstacles to healthy living by addressing mental health disparities and expanding access to food pantries and housing resources—ensuring everyone has the chance to achieve their best health.
Key measures of food security in our community:
- Food pantries are serving record numbers, making it challenging to maintain a steady, reliable supply of nutritionally and culturally appropriate foods
- Many who qualify for SNAP don’t enroll due to barriers like low benefit amounts, stigma, confusion, or lack of information—missing out on support to buy healthy, personally chosen foods
Key measures of food security in our community:
Johnson County
Washington County
20% of pantry users face barriers to access. of those, these are the dicciculties identified
of our community
are food insecure
HOW WE WILL MOVE CLOSER TO OUR GOALS:
- Improve food pantry offerings by increasing the variety and availability of nutritious and culturally appropriate foods
- Integrate community wide data across local pantries to identify gaps and areas for improvement
- Increase participation in SNAP by reducing barriers to enrollment and expanding outreach to seniors and other populations with low participation rates
Key measures of housing in our community:
- Stable housing is one of the most powerful predictors of health according to the CDC
- People with serious mental illness are more likely to experience homelessness
- Shelters, jails and ERs are not substitutes for adequate housing supports and mental health care
Iowa Ranks Last in the nation for psychiatric bed availability
2 beds per
100,000 residents
3 out of 4 women
who have experienced homelessness have also endured domestic violence or sexual assault
HOW WE WILL MOVE CLOSER TO OUR GOALS:
- Understand the impact of serious mental illness and trauma on long-term housing stability and identify needed supports
- Utilize coordinated, community-based services to prevent homelessness and to provide ongoing support for individuals transitioning from homelessness to stable housing
- Expand permanent supportive housing to reduce cycling through emergency systems like hospitals, jails, and shelters
Key measures of health in our community:
- The highest share of uninsured people is among working-age adults
- Public insurance programs are an important source of health coverage, especially for children
Mental and physical health concerns common among adults (by %)
of Johnson County residents don’t have a primary care provider
Top reason cited:
High cost of health care
of Johnson County residents haven’t seen a dentist in more than 2 years
Top reason cited:
Do not have dental insurance, concerned will be too expensive
HOW WE WILL MOVE CLOSER TO OUR GOALS:
- Increase the share of people covered by affordable insurance and increase access to free or reduced-cost clinics for those without coverage
- Ensure more people receive essential health services, including behavioral health, dental & primary care
- Integrate social determinants of health into health care services so providers can assess & refer patients who have additional barriers to wellbeing
- Increase stability through permanent supportive housing to reduce cycling through crisis systems such as hospitals, criminal justice systems and emergency shelters
UNITED WAY’S ROLE IN FINANCIAL SECURITY
Fund & Collaborate
United Way is committed to Community Health by investing in strategies and programs that reduce health disparities and improve well-being for all. Using community-based approaches, we address barriers to health equity and work to better align health care options and resources to improve health outcomes for our community. Through collaboration and targeted investments, we strive to create a healthier future for everyone.
Advocate & Educate
We advocate for policies and practices to improve health and well-being and provide equitable access to care for every member of our community. We advocate for food security initiatives by increasing SNAP participation, improving food availability at pantries, and integrating data for stronger support systems. We educate and promote policy change to address our community's gaps in essential oral health services.
Healthy Community Impact area sponsored by:
