The issues of healthcare and health problems in relation to our focal points have not been completely overlooked locally. There has been outreach done to keep communication up with residents and evaluate where they think there are problems and what could be done to fix these things. Specific issues like affordability, access to healthcare, transportation for getting to providers. In terms of main concerns, the city of Alton and certain cities in the Metro East wanted to work with residents more closely in order to reduce the production and discharge of harmful waste and gases.
A joint analysis of Madison County was done by Saint Anthony’s Health Center, Saint Clare’s Hospital and Alton Memorial Hospital to create the 2012 Community Health Needs Assessment Summary. The area includes Edwardsville and is a suburban part of St. Louis’ Metro-East area. This was all made possible by the equal distribution of support financially and through other methods of services. People with an interest or concern for healthcare needs in the area had been invited to engage in the assessment process to be representatives of marginalized groups. Alongside them in providing crucial input were public health department staff. The hospitals actively asked for the input of community members in order to enhance the needs of all within the area.
A major way that Alton especially has gone about addressing these problems is with their Alton Climate Action Plan that was established through document in March of 2011. It is heavily modeled on the plan on the same basis as the City of Evanston, Illinois. The City of Evanston Office of Sustainability and Lewis and Clark Community College were also credited for aiding with the project.
The plan consisted of detailed ways of action that was, would, or should be taken to help eradicate the factors that tie into the issues of healthcare. Among these were the reduction of emissions, making transportation more accessible, reducing waste, and producing, distributing and transporting food. As it was made known by East St. Louis Metro Area residents, affordability and accessibility to proper health care, transportation and nutrition were huge barriers.
The primary goal of the City of Alton is reduction, which is to make smaller or make less of in size, amount or degree. More specifically, the reduction of Green House Gasses, as the plan provides over 200 strategies to do so. This would help the quality of air and water used by residents that could be beneficial or detrimental to their health. Plans of being more energy efficient included: reducing emissions caused by electric and gas use made by certain buildings and motor fuel use by residents and the city itself.
The reduction of emissions is still correlated with strategies to help with transportation. It is to be encouraged to develop and use transit that can maintain or improve the quality of life of the environment in which it is located. Alton businesses were suggested to help their employees with commuting programs and reduce single person commuting in and outside of the city. Public transit is to be expanded as a manageable choice to travel to and fro. In return, this would increase the options for more affordable living accommodations as a way to lessen vehicle travel.
Transportation and emissions are not just solely for transit and vehicular options, but also for food. To provide an additional availability for residents and keep a track record of information on best practices, trends of climate change and policies. It is wanted for policy decisions are ensured to seek reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at all levels. This overall supports and promotes efforts locally, nationally and in-state to diminish climate change.
Waste reduction and recycling participation are in hopes of increasing residentially and commercially. It was also quite emphasized of increasing efforts made with reuse and recycling, in this case, of construction and demolition waste. This would help with their want to keep fabric and clothing out of the landfill. More participation from city buildings, parks and events is desired.
In April of 2008, Alton became one of the many cities to take action on climate change by City Council vote to sign the U.S. Mayors climate Protection Agreement. This agreement is to pledge to further move along the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was a treaty that facilitated the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by committing countries and economies rooted in industrialization to transitioning to reducing GHG. They intended to meet the protocol’s targets within their own communities and cities, urge state and federal governments to execute programs and policies to meet GHG emissions reduction targets and urge the U.S. Congress to pass legislation with clear emission limits and establishing a emissions trading system nationally. Since the signing, a Climate Protection and Energy Efficient Committee was created by the city to meet monthly. The city has spent and saved much money on hybrid vehicles, energy usage consultants, lighting upgrades, solar panels, etc..
There is a high awareness of the trouble spots and much research put into it. A huge part of what has been done well is where all parties involved establish a role they take and a specific course of action. There have been reports of personal actions taken such as handling their personal health and researching how to approach getting proper treatment for themselves.
On the other hand, work was done on the other side of the spectrum. As presented in the report titled Transformation Data & Community Needs Report: East St. Louis Metro Area: “In recognition of this need, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) in 2019 initiated a healthcare transformation program with the goal of providing healthcare systems and other health-related organizations with financial assistance to transform services and care models to better meet communities’ unmet needs. HFS engaged the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design and the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to develop an approach to measure health needs in Illinois communities with high rates of social vulnerability and to use that data to direct transformation funding to reduce existing health disparities and improve the health of Illinoisans” (“Transformation Data and Community Needs Report: East St. Louis Metro Area”).
Although the city of Alton and Illinois seem to have an apprehension and a slight handle of the needs within the state, they seem to still be majorly in the planning phases of actions to take than actually doing it. It could be due to the government, or needed more resident participation in reducing catalyst, or the city not doing enough to meet the residents’ needs. It is clear though that there needs to be an active collaborative relationship with efforts being made from all sides.