POWER Defiance County has reached the one-year mark of the 2025–28 Defiance County Community Health Improvement Plan. A media release from the county health department lists preventive care, access to services, healthy lifestyles and behaviors, community conditions, and mental and behavioral health among the areas where it reports progress.
The release says 324 county adults received trauma-informed training for working with young people through the Northwest Ohio Resilient Youth Project. More than 40 educational events were held community-wide, connected to CHIP priorities, according to the same release.
Defiance Rides, coordinated by the United Way of Defiance County and NOCAC, has logged about 700 trips since launching in March, an average of 38 each week, the release states. In June, 62 children between the ages of 4 and 6 took part in Safety Town, where topics included ATV, bus, fire, pedestrian and bicycle safety.
The health department plans a weekly social media campaign beginning Wednesday to showcase the year's results. Public information officer Jessica West credited partnerships for the gains, describing the work as producing lasting improvements for residents. Health Commissioner Jamie Gerken said the plan's first year shows what a community can achieve when it works toward shared goals, adding that POWER Defiance County will keep bringing partners together and converting priorities into action.
A parent and guardian guide listing local parenting programs, resources and support services is in its final stages and is expected next month. The release directs readers to powerdefiance.org for more on the CHIP and related initiatives.