by Elizabeth Garbe, Public Policy Director
and Natalie Fall, Events Intern
On March 20th, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released the most recent data from their County Rankings and Roadmaps Program. This marked an important day for United Way of Salt Lake and our partners in our quest to lead data-driven decisions and change in the communities we serve.
Similar to UWSL’s Collective Impact work, the Rankings and Roadmaps is built on the understanding that no single sector alone can tackle the health challenges in a community. The project has a deep understanding that underlying social and economic factors, like education and unemployment, affect the health of individuals. Because of this, it is important for education, income, and health stakeholders to work together to tackle the myriad of issues a community faces. Drawing on health information from various national data sources, the rankings are comprised of several indicators, such as graduation, crime, and unemployment rates that may be contributing to compromised health and limited care access.
United Way of Salt Lake is one of 18 recipients of the Roadmaps to Health Community grant from the foundation. The grant supports the South Salt Lake Early Learning Network, which is focused on ensuring all children enter school ready to learn – an important step in ensuring all children in the community graduate from high school. Salt Lake County has one of the lowest graduation rates in the state, with 72% of 9th graders graduating in four years, compared to the state average of 76%.
This data highlights the deep interdependence of obstacles to physical and social wellness present in our neighborhoods. Applying this new data to our Collective Impact work will help United Way of Salt Lake and our partners mobilize resources, advance policy, and align our efforts towards healthier communities.
To check out the County Rankings and Roadmaps Program click here http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/.
For more information about UWSL’s partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation go to http://uw.org/news-events/news/united-way-of-salt-lake-10.html.
