REPORT RANKS ROCKLAND THIRD IN NEW YORK STATE FOR HEALTHY LIVING

PRESS RELEASE 

Rockland County Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announced yesterday that Rockland County has been ranked third in New York State for healthy living in 2016 in the annual County Health Rankings issued by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

“It’s encouraging to see all the hard work of our communities to improve the quality of health across Rockland County,” said County Executive Ed Day. “The data from the County Health Rankings is one source of information our Department of Health shares with local partners to develop strategies that continue a culture of health and wellness that benefits all local residents. Congratulations on another year of extremely positive outcomes!”

The report looks at more than 30 factors that affect health such as education, employment, housing, tobacco use, and access to health care, and compares counties in each state. New this year are measures on residential segregation, drug overdose death rates and sleep.

Counties are ranked according to their current overall health (called health outcomes) and the estimate of future health (called health factors). Rockland County is ranked third in overall health in New York State, down from first place last year, and eighth in New York State for in health factors, down from sixth place last year.

“I am pleased that Rockland County has consistently been ranked one of the top five counties in New York State for overall health since 2011. This is a testament to all of the wonderful work done by our Health Department staff, as well as to our successful partnerships with community and faith organizations, health care providers, schools, worksites, and municipalities. We continue to have much work to do, but this report shows that we are achieving our goal to keep Rockland County residents healthy and safe,” said Dr. Ruppert.

The full report can be viewed online at www.countyhealthrankings.org.