Residents, researchers, and grant writers in Central Illinois now have free access to a powerful online tool that provides insight into local health trends.

Memorial Health has launched the Healthy Communities Institute Data Dashboard, available to the public in counties served by the health system, including Christian, Logan, Macon, Morgan, and Sangamon.

The dashboard features a wide range of information, including: Community health indicators, Demographic profiles, Health equity data, Hospitalization and emergency department statistics, Health disparities and outcomes.

It also includes a Promising Practices section, which highlights research-based strategies and scientific evidence gathered from local, state, and national organizations.

Memorial Health officials say the resource has already been put to use. The Community Health team used dashboard data to guide recent Community Health Needs Assessment Plans, and it played a role in a successful grant request for oncology rehabilitation funding at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.

The database is available on the Memorial Health website at memorial.health/about-us/community-health/healthy-communities-data.

For additional help navigating the system, community members can contact Claire Peak, Community Health consultant at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, at 447-784-3212.