By Stephanie Stevens

When we think of community health, we tend to start and stop our thinking at the doctor’s office or emergency room.

But Kerri Wall, Community Health Facilitator for Interior Health (IH), is hoping to broaden that thinking to include more than just critical or emergent care.

Wall (pictured above) addressed District of Invermere council Feb. 26 to let them know who she is and her role within IH, as well as request an informal partnership with the municipality to further community health.

“Health is a collaborative effort,” said Wall. “And the municipality has some levels that can help support community health. All levels of government, all agencies have to work together.”

Wall outlined ways that local governments can help influence community health in a positive way, citing things such as smoking bylaws, supporting local agriculture, recreation opportunities including pathways, social planning (i.e. affordable housing and poverty reduction) and transportation.

“Many factors of our health are affected by our communities,” said Wall. “The DOI’s official community plan has a lot of good priority wording that can help.”

As facilitator, she said she would be available to the DOI to help collaborate with a variety of other agencies for Invermere’s community health.

Wall added she had addressed the DOI previously to partner with IH, but the DOI declined to partner up.

Councillor Greg Anderson said he did not recall declining to work with the IH and that he would like to see further discussion.

Coun. Gerry Taft said he did recall the previous request, but not specifically refusing to work with IH.

“Just to play devil’s advocate though,” said Taft, “I sometimes think it would be nice if IH would look internally before telling us what to do. Like look at what food is being fed to seniors and patients, long hours for staff, that sort of thing.”

Anderson said he would like to see the council bring up the partnership at a committee-of-the-whole.

Mayor Al Miller said one of his concerns regarding community health was the proximately to Alberta and IH’s stance not to send patients there for things like cancer treatments, surgery and emergencies.

“Any time we have a chance to tap anyone’s shoulder at IH about that we do,” said Miller.

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