County hopes to gather comprehensive data on kids’ well-being

Gainesville Sun
By April Warren

A belief that children in Alachua County might not be getting the care they need because of a fragmented system has sparked the County Commission to action.
Commissioners gave the thumbs up Tuesday to a $47,250 contract with WellFlorida Council Inc. to conduct a children services needs assessment.

The work will focus on three main areas: early childhood, ages 0-5, and maternal and family support and child wellness, which includes physical, nutrition and behavioral health.

The assessment will look at current community strengths […]

WellFlorida News Release

Health Insurance Marketplace Navigators from WellFlorida Council and other local organizations will be providing free enrollment assistance at the Get Covered for the New Year event on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Munroe Regional Auxiliary Center, 1542 SW 1st Ave. in Ocala. Navigators will help consumers enroll or re-enroll in a plan on Healthcare.gov before the Jan. 15 deadline. Consumers who pick and pay for a plan by Jan. 15 will have their health coverage begin […]

Orlando Sentinel
By Elira Benavari

TAVARES — Annacelia Gander has always had a passion for healthy living and decided to share her enthusiasm with others by creating the website GetFitLake.com, which provides online information about opportunities to achieve a healthy lifestyle both indoors and out throughout Lake County.

Whether someone would like to know the addresses and offerings at area parks, programs at gyms and fitness centers, dance studios, the Golden Triangle YMCA, locations and hours of farmer’s markets, area sports programs and more, details are […]

By Christopher Curry
The Gainesville Sun

While the third year of Affordable Care Act enrollment continues through the end of January, a key deadline is approaching Tuesday.

The date is important for two reasons. First, it is the last day to to sign up to have health coverage through an ACA insurance plan in place Jan. 1, said Lauren Vagelakos, who oversees the nonprofit WellFlorida Council’s ACA navigator program in North Central Florida.

Anyone signing up after Tuesday must wait until Feb. 1 for […]

Editorial by the Ocala Star Banner

Where to start? That could easily have been the question when the Marion County Hospital District board voted last month to spend $2.5 million on grants aimed at improving the health of county residents. There certainly were plenty of options.

The money is the first to be spent from the $213 million the district received for leasing Munroe Regional Medical Center to Community Health Systems for the next 40 years. The money must be spent on improving the […]

By Raphael Pires
WUFT News

A lack of exercise and high consumption of junk food are often associated with the American way of life. To some, these habits can be costly health risks.

Though life expectancy has improved and infant mortality has decreased for all Americans, some minorities still have higher risks of preventable diseases, death and disability than non-minorities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Anne Packham, a marketplace project coordinator at the Primary Care Access Network in Orlando, Florida described cases […]

Sumter County Times

Just as an individual has health care needs that are unique to them, so are the health care needs of communities. The needs that Sumter County residents face can be very different from those other counties experience.

To determine the needs of Sumter County, residents and business leaders are being encouraged to take a community health survey the can help steer health care providers.

The Central Florida Health Alliance (CFHA) and WellFlorida Council are conducting surveys to gauge the health of communities […]

WellFlorida News Release

The Central Florida Health Alliance (CFHA) and WellFlorida Council are conducting surveys to gauge the health of our communities in Lake, Sumter and South Marion counties. Citizens and business leaders are invited to share their views on health and healthcare in the region by taking a 10 minute survey. Survey participants will have the opportunity to win a $50 VISA gift card.

The surveys are available at www.WellFlorida.org (select “Survey”). To receive a printed version of the surveys, or for […]

Ocala Star Banner

The Central Florida Health Alliance and WellFlorida Council are conducting surveys to gauge the health of communities in Lake, Sumter and south Marion counties.

Citizens and business people are invited to share their views on health and healthcare in the region by taking a 10 minute survey. Participants will have the opportunity to win a $50 VISA gift card.

The surveys are available at www.WellFlorida.org (select “Survey”). To receive a printed version, or for additional information, contact Lindsey Redding at