Upstate New York is home to many beautiful and vibrant rural communities. Many of the 16 counties that are served by the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York are predominantly rural, with a number of small cities and towns that people call home.
The Health Foundation for Western and Central New York’s strategic plan includes a commitment to addressing health disparities in the rural communities we serve. To support this commitment, we commissioned a scan to identify opportunities for improving outreach efforts to three rural counties in the Southern Tier of western New York—an area with vast health needs that have been historically under-resourced.
The narrative report resulting from this scan, Community Health Needs and Opportunities in Western New York’s Southern Tier, finds that overarching systemic needs rooted in the social determinants of health exist throughout rural communities and are major contributors to health outcomes. Transportation access, health care workforce shortages, under-funded community services, historical trauma associated with race and geography, and the impact of poverty are among the factors named as contributing to health disparities.
The report also captures positive attributes in community health in rural communities, including a strong network of community-based organizations working to meet the needs of the people of the Southern Tier, innovative programs and initiatives to address issues such as trauma-informed care practices, and a commitment to collaboration among health care and community service providers that has been strengthened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Download the report as a PDF here.
View our July 18, 2022, webinar on rural health disparities in New York here.