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Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization
Supports Regional Community Health Planning for 2025–2030 Prevention Agenda
Cycle
Published: January 27, 2026
at 08:30 a.m.
By: Press Release from Fort Drum Regional Health
Organization (FDRHPO)
Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization
Supports Regional Community Health Planning for 2025–2030 Prevention Agenda
Cycle
(Watertown, NY) -
Local
health departments and hospitals across New York State are implementing a
new Prevention Agenda to improve population health, prevent disease, and
reduce health disparities.
Every six years,
local health departments and hospitals across New York State are required
to complete a comprehensive Community Health Assessment (CHA) and submit
related plans to New York State for review. Public health departments
submit a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), and hospitals submit a
Community Service Plan (CSP). This work is guided by the New York State
Department of Health's Prevention Agenda, and the current cycle runs from
2025 to 2030. Together, these plans are designed to align public health and
hospital strategies with the most pressing health needs identified within
each community.
“The Community
Health Assessment serves as the foundation for this work,” said Pat
Fontana, Deputy Director for Fort Drum Regional Health Planning
Organization (FDRHPO). “It provides a comprehensive picture of a county’s
health by gathering and analyzing health-related data.”
This includes
local, state, and national health data, as well as information collected
directly from communities, specifically from FDRHPO’s Annual Community
Health Survey. When combined, these findings help to identify health
outcomes, disparities, and other factors that impact health across the
region.
Patti Hogle,
Senior Public Health Educator at St. Lawrence County Public Health
Department, says that the Community Health Survey proved invaluable in
developing the Community Health Improvement Plan/Community Service Plan.
“This
collaboration enhanced the quality of data and the analysis provided by the
Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, which informed the
identification of priority health needs, deepened our understanding of
health disparities, and ensured the plan was evidence-based to effectively
guide planning and action across the county.”
She added, “The
planning and writing of the Community Health Assessment, Community Health
Improvement Plan, and the Community Service Plan could not have been
completed without the survey and the hard work of the Fort Drum Regional
Health Planning Organization.”
During the
planning cycle, public health departments and hospitals in Jefferson,
Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties collaborated with FDRHPO to assess the
regional healthcare system and address identified community needs. FDRHPO
supports regional coordination by convening partners, analyzing health
data, and assisting healthcare and public health organizations in
developing actionable, data-driven plans.
In partnership
with the public health departments and hospitals, FDRHPO prepared each
county’s CHA in the summer of 2025. County partners then used those
findings to identify priority needs and select strategies aligned with the
New York State Prevention Agenda.
“This cycle
differs from previous ones in an important way, with a stronger emphasis on
Social Determinants of Health (SDOHs). These are the conditions that impact
health beyond medical care, including housing stability, transportation,
access to food, economic security, and access to services,” said Mr.
Fontana.
Addressing these
factors often requires coordination across multiple sectors, not just
healthcare.
While each
county’s plan reflects its specific needs, there is some overlap in what
all three counties are working to address. These include increasing access
to services, enhancing coordination among services, improving mental
health, and addressing basic needs that directly impact health. The overlap
in priorities across counties highlights common challenges and creates
opportunities for improved collaboration. Recognizing these opportunities
is a key aspect of FDRHPO’s role in aiding local planning efforts.
This work does
not end with the completion of a report.
“FDRHPO will
continue to support counties and hospitals throughout the Prevention Agenda
cycle by helping track progress, gather and analyze new data, and adjust
strategies as community needs change,” said Mr. Fontana. “This approach
helps keep health planning active and responsive to real community needs.”
Ongoing
collaboration among public health departments, hospitals, and regional
partners strengthens the region's ability to address challenges and improve
health outcomes for residents in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence
counties.
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