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AMERICAN FORK — The Utah County Health Department wants to know about the health and safety of its residents.
Dressed in bright yellow vests and armed with tablet computers, Utah County Health Department staff are going door to door.
Linnea Fletcher with Utah County Health Department said, "Every three to five years we do a community health assessment where we gather information based on the community's needs and then from there we work as a health department to provide needed services to our community."
The topics range from physical health to emotional, mental and environmental health, as well as substance abuse, emergency preparedness and county services.
When asked about some of the services in Utah County, Pleasant Grove resident Jill Allphin said, "It's getting better to have trails and things to go biking. I'm personally out a lot with my kids and by myself either running or biking and hiking, and I really appreciate it when it's safer."
The health workers will gather responses from approximately 210 randomly selected residents. The information collected will remain anonymous. However, the results will help shape and decide future programs.
"We have car seat checks, we have inspectors who go out and check food facilities and pools, so it's just a way for us to give back to the community and make sure that we're providing them with the services they need," said Fletcher.
If you don't get a knock on your door but would like to participate, you can go to the Utah County Health Department Facebook page and answer the questions there. You can also sign up for focus groups. The health department plans to release the survey results later this summer.