County Unveils 2025 Community Health Assessment in Interactive Format
Published on January 02, 2026
KINGSTON, NY - For the first time, the Ulster County Department of Health is releasing its annual Community Health Assessment (CHA) in an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap format. This new approach makes local health data more transparent and accessible, enabling residents, community partners, health and medical professionals, and policymakers to explore health trends, disparities, and the social determinants of health across the County. What makes this year’s CHA especially significant is the Department’s work over the past year to compile more granular, up-to-date data than ever before — including health outcomes broken down by zip code — which allows the County to identify disparities at the neighborhood level and to better target resources and interventions to the communities that need them most.
The CHA serves as a “health report card” for Ulster County, compiling data from federal, state, and local sources — including a community survey conducted by the County’s Department of Health — into a comprehensive snapshot of the health status of County residents.
This strategic shift invites broader community engagement as Ulster County begins setting priorities for the next four years through the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), with a focus on improving health outcomes and reducing disparities so all residents can thrive.
Explore the 2025 CHA StoryMap at: https://ulstercountyny.gov/health/2025CHA
The CHA highlights opportunities for improvement across preventive care, chronic disease, communicable disease, mental health, and substance use. Here is just a sampling of some of the findings in the assessment:
Vaccinations: In good news, 64% of children aged 24-35 months completed the combined 7-vaccine series, exceeding the state average of 59.3% as well as the target of 62.3% set by the NYS Department of Health’s Prevention Agenda for 2025-2030. However, the County is below the state average in girls aged 13 who have received the HPV vaccination (14.5% in our County compared to the state average of 25.7%). Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and it can lead to such conditions as cervical cancer.
Cancer screenings: The community health survey found that 71% of those surveyed recognized cancer screenings as “very important.” However, screening rates in the County are below national goals.
Cancer: Lung and colon cancer mortality rates show a decline; however, female breast cancer mortality rates have not changed (reinforcing the importance of screening and early detection).
Chronic diseases: Disparities exist across race and ethnicity, and across zip codes, for mortality from heart disease, asthma, and Type 2 Diabetes. Average hypertension rates in Ulster County are below the statewide average (22% compared to 32% statewide), though within the County there are significant racial and ethnic disparities in emergency room visits and deaths associated with hypertension.
Communicable diseases: Tick-borne illnesses (primarily Lyme disease) in Ulster County far exceed the statewide average (for Lyme: 501.3 cases per 100,000 in our County compared to 109.1 statewide). Several sexually transmitted diseases have generally seen a decline, including a steep decline in gonorrhea cases in the Hispanic population, but there are disparities in trends by race and ethnicity.
Maternal & infant health: At 68.4%, Ulster County falls below both New York State, excluding NYC (77.3%) and the Prevention Agenda Goal (80.5%) for births with adequate prenatal care, which improves health outcomes for pregnant people and babies. In good news, in-hospital breastfeeding rates significantly exceed the state average (61.3% compared to the state average of 46.7%). Breastfeeding is linked to numerous health benefits for the parent and child.
Injury: The rate of hospitalizations from falls for older residents is 26 per 1,000, which is 50% lower than the national Healthy People 2030 goal. The estimated incidence of assaults was 9 in 1,000, with disparities by race and ethnicity. County rates for homicide fatalities are 66% lower than the state average (which includes NYC), and 90% lower than the national average. County suicide rates are lower than the national average, but higher than the state average. Half of suicides in Ulster County in 2024 involved a firearm; 85% were white males.
Mental Health & Substance Use: Mental health conditions and substance use disorders are significantly linked to higher mortality rates. These issues often co-occur, and factors like social isolation, stress, and barriers to care can exacerbate the risks. Ulster County's unintentional overdose death rate was 25.8 per 100,000 in 2024. This rate is well below that of the United States (44.7 per 100,000) but just above that of New York State (21.6 per 100,000).
Importantly, the assessment also includes data on social determinants of health. Economic instability and food insecurity emerged as major drivers of poor health outcomes. Forty‑two percent of Ulster County households fall below the ALICE threshold. ALICE — which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — is a measure developed by the United Way to capture economic hardship among households living above the federal poverty line but still struggling to afford basic necessities. These families often face difficult tradeoffs between essentials like housing, food, healthcare, and transportation. In Ulster County, ALICE households are disproportionately Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous, as well as single‑parent families, young adults, and older adults.
Food insecurity affects approximately 13% of residents and is more than twice as high among Black and Latino residents compared to white residents. Geographic barriers to healthcare, transportation challenges, and uneven access to social services further compound disparities, particularly in rural and northwestern areas of the County.
“Good health is fundamental to individual and community well-being and to a thriving economy, and this assessment enables us to identify the areas of greatest need and target our public health investments accordingly,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “I commend Ulster County Public Health Director Eve Walter and her team for employing this innovative interactive format for presenting the data. It’s a powerful approach that makes it easier for decision-makers, community-based partners, and the public to see the challenges we face and to be part of the solutions, and I am certain that this model will be replicated by other counties.”
"By utilizing the most up-to-date, granular, zip code-level data — and presenting these findings in the StoryMap — our County Department of Health now has the unique capacity to identify and target health disparities in our County. These findings will guide our outreach and program planning to better meet the needs of our most vulnerable residents,” said Eve Walter, Ulster County Public Health Director. “I want to thank the many staff members and interns who contributed to this Community Health Assessment over the past year. I am so incredibly proud of our team’s work.”
"I am looking forward to using this incredible, rich assessment of our community to engage with leaders, advocates, and residents of all ages to work together to make Ulster County a healthy, vibrant place to live,” said Kristin Kessler, Director of Community Health.
The New York State Department of Health’s Prevention Agenda requires Ulster County to perform a CHA every five years, however the Ulster County Department of Health intends to update its findings annually.
What’s Next? Ulster County will develop the Community Health Improvement Plan in early 2026, guided by the CHA findings and informed by the Healthy Ulster Council and additional community stakeholders, including faith‑ and school‑based leaders. The CHIP will prioritize strategies that are evidence‑based, equitable, and achievable, supported by clear evaluation and communication plans. Ongoing community engagement will remain central to ensuring transparency, accountability, and shared ownership of public health progress across Ulster County.