Hancock Health CEO Steve Long talked about the state of local healthcare last year at the Sue Ann Wortman Cancer Center in Greenfield.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
HANCOCK COUNTY – Hancock County has once again risen in the ranks of the healthiest counties in the state, moving up one spot to the No. 3 ranking in U.S. News and World Report’s annual “Healthiest Communities” list.
That’s great progress, according to Steve Long, president and CEO of Hancock Health.
Long has been working toward the goal of making Hancock County the healthiest county in the state ever since taking over as CEO at Hancock Health in 2014.
Back then, Hancock County ranked 28th in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, but has risen steadily ever since, landing in fifth place in 2022 and fourth in 2023.
Long cited Hancock Health’s collaborations with the Mayo Clinic and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital as two ways the health system has expanded healthcare services close to home.
“Hancock Health has worked hard to provide resources and programming to the community to support overall health and wellness outcomes,” said Long, adding that a major focus has been on providing well-rounded mental health and substance use care.
“Hancock Health has also worked to lower the county’s tobacco use through its smoking cessation programs, and has created two new state-of-the-art wellness centers in New Palestine and McCordsville, to expand the reach of the original Hancock Wellness Center in Greenfield,” he said.
Dr. Gary Sharp, health director at the Hancock County Health Department, was also thrilled to hear the county is continuing on it path to becoming the healthiest county in the state.
“We’re thrilled,” said Sharp, who gives much of the credit to Long’s vision and persistence.
Sharp also credits an increase in state funding through Health First Indiana, a public health initiative created by the General Assembly in 2023 to improve the health of Hoosiers.
“I think the money we’re getting from the state is going to allow us to continue putting money towards that mission of becoming the healthiest county in the state,” he said.
The county health department recently added two nurses to its staff, as it continues to expand services like providing immunizations.
“We just developed an STD clinic and are actively involved in the NARCAN program (to treat opioid overdoses) in collaboration with the sheriff’s department, and we also work with local schools to provide health and wellness information,” Sharp said.
Considering Hancock County ranks higher for obesity than many of its counterparts, said the director, tackling that issue is imperative to becoming the state’s healthiest county.
“I think promoting physical fitness and nutrition will go a long way,” he said.
