Health department to release results from Community Listening Sessions Sept. 5

CHARLEVOIX — Comments from nine Community Listening Sessions are being finalized into a report which will be presented to the Health Department of Northwest Michigan Board of Health at the 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5 monthly meeting.

Dr. Kari Krantz, a third-party expert who designed and hosted the sessions, has documented the results and will make the presentation.

In-person and virtual gatherings were held in May and June for residents of Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties to share their experiences and perceptions of the health department. At each session, Krantz, an independent professional facilitator, listened and documented the comments shared by residents. The presentation will include a review of the report, which will be posted on the health department's website later that day.

“The health department exists to serve residents living throughout our four counties,” said Health Officer Dan Thorell. “We contracted with a third-party expert to provide a professional and safe atmosphere for community members to talk through their experiences during the pandemic, how those experiences impacted their perception of the health department, and what they would like to see moving forward. The report being presented to the board and provided to us will help us better gauge how to connect with residents moving forward.”

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More: Health department 'listening sessions' offer residents chance to provide input

Holly Campbell, Deputy Health Officer, added that “This is a huge initiative that has been managed with public transparency and the best of intentions.”

“We are looking forward to studying the collective outcome, and we thank each community member who took time out of their busy lives to be heard," she said. "We truly are listening.”

Officials said the report will become an important part of the health department's planning process. The Sept. 5 board meeting can be attended in-person or watched through a Zoom link that will be posted at nwhealth.org prior to the meeting.

Other items being considered by the Board of Health at the meeting include an introduction to the 2023-24 health department budget and a draft grant application policy reviewed and approved by the Program and Evaluation Committee on Aug. 29.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Health department to release results from Community Listening Sessions