McHenry County assets, according to focus groups representing target populations in the county, include a small-town atmosphere, low crime and public safety, good schools, availability of services for persons in need, Metra rail service, local hospital, park districts and Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association and the McHenry County Community College. These are the views of focus groups representing target populations of the County.
These groups also identified problems in McHenry County such as rapid growth and development, inadequate public transportation, lack of decent paying jobs coupled with increasing job losses, the need for additional youth activities/programs, not enough affordable housing, health care access for Public Aid recipients and uninsured, affordable dental care, increased gang activity, home foreclosures, dropping home values, higher taxes, lack of coordination among food banks, growing number of immigrants not integrated into the health and human service system, and lack of affordable child care.
Gaps in health care and human service system included a need for bilingual agency staff and services for mentally ill individuals along with a more effective information and referral system, and the need for accessible and affordable medical, dental, vision and prescription services.
This is information gathered in studies conducted in 2006 and 2010 by 11 focus groups representing target populations. The reported findings of the extensive study were presented Wednesday morning at McHenry County Healthy Community Study presentation by the McHenry County Health Department. The plethora of data as presented has many uses over and above for health purposes.
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