Health & Fitness

Scotch Plains Named A 2018 Healthy Town To Watch

Scotch Plains was 1 of 7 towns in New Jersey to earn the distinction.

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — Scotch Plains was recognized as a 2018 Mayor's Wellness Healthy Town To Watch by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute's Mayors Wellness Campaign.

Scotch Plains was one of two Union County towns and one of seven towns in New Jersey to earn this distinction. Elizabeth was also listed as a town to watch.

To receive the designation, communities participating in the Mayors Wellness Campaign complete a comprehensive application outlining the research they did to identify their community health needs, explain how they have organized their committee, and highlight the actions they have taken to make their communities a healthier place to live.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Six categories are considered when selecting healthy towns:

  • Defining Health Broadly – addressing the social and economic factors that impact health outcomes
  • Measurement and Data Sharing – identifying measurable health indicators and establishing shared goals with partners
  • Health Equity – reducing, and ultimately eliminating, health disparities by focusing programming on those most affected by poor
  • Health outcomes
  • Procurement of Resources – harnessing the collective power of your MWC Committee and local business partners to efficiently align
  • Resources that maximize community health.
  • Collaboration – building diverse partnerships across sectors to build capacity for programming
  • Commitment to Sustainability – developing programs that are designed to last

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.