Knox County is the sixth “focus community” to participate in an initiative by the Clinton Foundation to promote healthy living and reduce gaps in health disparities.
The announcement comes from the foundation’s Health Matters Activation Summit, which took place today in Indian Wells, California.
The Clinton Health Matters Initiative is working with AstraZeneca, a U.K.-based bio-pharmaceutical company, to meet with community leaders and stakeholders to make a plan for improving the health of Knox County residents.
Galesburg Mayor John Pritchard says AstraZeneca is the primary source for funding, adding that the city and county have no financial obligation.
Pritchard tells WGIL that CHMI is currently looking to hire an executive director for the local program.
“Then we’ll commit to assessing our overall health issues and see if there are some things we can do to improve that,” Pritchard says.
He says community leaders will be working with the Clinton Foundation to figure out what local health issues should to be targeted before the process can begin in earnest.
Galesburg Community Foundation Executive Director Josh Gibb says the Clinton Foundation hopes to engage 150 community members at the program’s onset.
In a news release, CHMI lists closing gaps in health disparities, reducing preventable disease rates and reducing health care costs as program goals.
The Galesburg area joins Adams County, Mississippi; the Coachella Valley in California; Central Arkansas; Northeast Florida and Greater Houston as CHMI focus communities.
The plan with AstraZeneca has been in the works since around October of 2014. The CHMI and AstraZeneca partnership is good for three years.
Updated at 5:43 p.m. Monday to reflect comments from Galesburg Community Foundation Executive Director Josh Gibb
