Closing the GAP with social determinants of health - planning - the butler county health department (bchd) is located in poplar bluff, MO

Poplar bluff is the county seat of butler county, MO. Butler county has a total population of 42,478. Within butler county there is one local public health department; two (2) hospitals; and one (1) federally qualified health center (fqhc). In a social determinants of health screening, our fqhc partner found clients had difficulty getting: utilities (26%), food (23%), a phone (15%), clothing (12%) and/or childcare (2%) with 32% of homes without broadband. While the health department and several partnering agencies screen for sdoh, resources to address social needs in our area are limited and change frequently, making multisector information exchanges and CO-implementation of ongoing initiatives to address the underlying issues more important. The butler county health department will address issues in out community that impact public health, including policy, system, environmental and programmatic strategies that address sdoh. The health department already has a solid foundation with community partners that work towards projects that address the five (5) sdoh domains: economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment and social and community context. Bchd works closely with social service, health care, educational and business entities through the butler county community resource council. Together these organizations are part of the butler county wellness council.