Likewise, teen pregnancy, especially females 15 to 17 years of age, although declining in some areas of the County recently, is a major problem. Teenage parents are disadvantaged to parenthood due to a host of reasons. The high teen pregnancy rate in the area means that more needs to be done about this problem and its effects upon communities and families. Examine the causes of the problem if found to be current. Examine the potential for joint projects or grant opportunities.
Local hospitals are the least costly in the region.
Yet, health care insurance premiums paid by local employers, government and families are based upon Rochester or Buffalo, NY health care costs which are much higher. The potential for the creation of service networks to negotiate with insurance plans or the development of products for sale directly to local businesses will be explored. Establishing referral networks for local specialists Services from medical specialists such as oncologists, orthopedic surgeons, and psychiatrists are often unavailable in rural communities due to limited demand. When several rural health care providers work together they can often establish a referral network which will generate enough patients to attract specialists to practice in the area. A major component of the community health needs assessment was a survey of individual perceptions regarding unmet local needs.