An annual check-up of Illinois counties has ranked Vermilion County as the least-healthy county in the state. The 2019 County Health Rankings are published by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Vermilion County Health Administrator Douglas Toole says having the county listed last comes as no surprise….
A wide variety of factors are used to compile the ratings – everything from education rates and income levels to access to healthy foods and medical care.
Toole says there are a number of things citizens can do to improve the county’s ranking….
The Vermilion County Health Department has already formed work groups in 2015 to address child obesity, substance abuse and teen pregnancies. The Health Department also collaborates with the Mental Health Initiative to address mental health needs in the county.
‘’The health of the community improves when each person takes responsibility for making positive changes in their own lives,’’ said Toole. ‘’And we need to work together in order to make Vermilion County a healthier place to live.’’
