Humboldt County Seeks Resident Input on Community Health Survey Through April 15

Humboldt County's Department of Health & Human Services is asking residents to spend about 15 minutes online before April 15 to help shape the programs and policies that govern local health services. The 2026 Community Health Assessment survey is available at livewellhumboldt.org and is the primary mechanism the county uses to hear directly from people about what is and is not working.

The stakes are concrete. When the 2018 Community Health Assessment identified suicide as one of the biggest health problems in Humboldt County, the Suicide Prevention Network and Public Health's Suicide Prevention team responded by partnering with local gun shops on what became known as the Gun Shop Project. The result: more than 6,000 lockboxes were distributed countywide to help keep firearms secure. That single data point from a community survey translated into a measurable intervention.

The 2026 assessment covers the same broad terrain, capturing both problems and assets. The county has pointed to insufficient dentists and a lack of housing as examples of the challenges the survey is designed to surface, while also tracking community strengths such as access to parks, libraries and clinics across the county.

Survey responses feed directly into the Community Health Improvement Plan, which Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services uses alongside community partners as a framework for planning and policy decisions. The goal, according to the county's release under Director Connie Beck, is to help local leaders understand which problems residents consider most urgent so that programs and services can be targeted accordingly.

The survey closes April 15. County health officials can be followed at facebook.com/HumCoDHHS, instagram.com/HumCoDHHS, and X.com/HumCoDHHS for updates as the assessment process continues.