07/02/2019- Marinette County has made great strides in improving the health of its citizens in the past several years, thanks in large part to the expanded and enhanced support from the county’s Health and Human Services Department. HHS Director Robin Elsner recently delivered his annual report to the County’s Board of Supervisors and says one of the department’s biggest accomplishments in 2018 was the full implementation of Family Care, a long-term care program that helps the elderly and adults with disabilities get the services they need to remain in their homes.
Looking ahead, Elsner and his staff are ready to tackle another challenge: drug abuse and its related impacts on the community. He’s hopeful the new LifePoint Needle Exchange Program, which will collect used hypodermic needles and distribute new ones to IV drug users free of charge, will make a difference. Elsner expects that program to go into effect in August and says beyond cleaning up public spaces, it also has the potential to connect users to the resources they need to break their addiction.
Marinette County ranked 55th in the state for health outcomes and 58th for health factors this year. Elsner says that ranking has climbed, but the county still struggles in the areas of mental health, alcohol and drug use, and access to hospital care.