County health plan seeks to deal with suicides, food deserts

Decreasing suicides and reducing the number of households that struggle to get enough food are among goals of a recently created health improvement plan for Shawnee County.

The county health department is working to mobilize and engage community organizations and other government entities — including school districts — to team up with the county to address issues spotlighted in that 2020-2022 Community Health Improvement Plan, the county’s community health planner, Susan Caman, said Monday.

“I hope that this plan is a foundation for the start of those collaborations,” Caman told county commissioners Bill Riphahn, Kevin Cook and Aaron Mays.

Caman made a presentation at Monday’s commission meeting about the 45-page plan, which can be found on the county’s website.