Strategies to Improve Mental Health of Independent Living Youth

Project Description Narrative:

Rock County has experienced a decrease in health outcomes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and is ranked among the least healthy counties in Wisconsin. Obesity rates in the county are elevated compared to the rest of the state, and the county is one of the highest in Wisconsin for diabetes prevalence. Rock County has also been found to have low food availability (40/100) and more than 35% of the population is without access to a large grocery store.

AHW funding will allow the Nutrition Collaborative of Rock County (NCRC) to increase equitable access to healthy food for all county residents, by empowering community members to become active in community-wide efforts to improve the food system. This will be accomplished through NCRC participation in county community events, community-specific focus groups, hosting a community innovation event to engage the community in planning sustainable initiatives surrounding food insecurity, and supporting NCRC leadership development to strengthen the collaborative.

Community Partners: Stateline YMCA, UW-Madison Extension-Rock County