Building Healthy Communities Workshop - Though the Development of a Flagler Community Health Center and Wellness Campus

Jacksonville, FL, May 18, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Flagler County Health Department and the City of Bunnell are hosting a community workshop with a focus on Building Healthy Communities to develop the Flagler Community Health Center and Wellness Campus. The workshop is open to all who live, work and play in the City of Bunnell. The purpose of the workshop is to share thoughts, gather opinions and discuss ideas on how a Community Health Center and Wellness Campus will add to quality of life in Bunnell making it a happy and healthy place.

The St. Johns River Rural Health Network in partnership with the Flagler County Health Department received a planning grant in September, 2011 from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to develop the core infrastructure and business plan for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Bunnell. The planning grant allows the partners to convene community stakeholders and generate wide community input during this critical development phase. The Flagler Community Health Center is part of a larger vision to create a wellness campus in downtown Bunnell with multiple healthcare and human service organizations working together to promote and sustain the health and wellness of all residents.

St Johns River Rural Health Network (SJRRHN) will work with the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida to lead this important discussion. The Mission of the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida, Inc. is to develop regional, unbiased research and evidence-based initiatives that promote healthy communities, lifestyles and improve accessible, quality health care.

“Aligning community development with health services planning results in well coordinated community improvements that create great places to live, work, operate businesses, preserve heritage, and more,” said Nikole Helvey, MS HSA – Director of SJRRHN.

About St. Johns River Rural Health Network, Inc.: St. Johns River Rural Health Network is an active community-based, non-profit organization that has served rural Northeast Florida since 1994. Headquartered in Macclenny in Baker County, it is one of nine independent rural health networks in Florida founded in state statute and working toward a common mission to “ensure that quality health care is available and efficiently delivered to all persons in rural areas.” St. Johns River Rural Health Network recognizes that the coordinated planning of healthcare services within community development planning is critical to sustain rural areas, and to ultimately improve outcomes for rural populations who all too often experience a higher burden of disease than their urban counterparts. St. Johns River Rural Health Network is a proud partner with the Flagler County Health Department in working to improve the health and well-being of Flagler County residents. For more information, visit www.StJohnsRiverRHN.org.