CCS Presentation 'What Shapes (Women's) Health in the North Country?' to be Held September 17, 2026

The Center for Community Studies (CCS) at Jefferson Community College (JCC) will present findings from a recent regional survey examining healthcare experiences in the North Country, with a special emphasis on women’s health.

“What Shapes (Women’s) Health in the North Country?” will be held Thursday, September 17, 2026, and will feature guest speaker Dr. Akanksha Misra, associate professor from SUNY Plattsburgh, alongside Joel LaLone, director of the Center for Community Studies at JCC. Community members, healthcare practitioners, elected officials, community leaders, faculty, staff and students are invited to attend.

The presentation, free and open to the public, will be held -

• 3:30 p.m. — In person at the Robert R. and Jean S. Sturtz Theater
• 6:30 p.m. — In person in Jules Center (Building 6), Room 6-002
• 6:30 p.m. — Virtually via Zoom 

The presentation will highlight findings from a first-of-its-kind study conducted by the Center for Community Studies in partnership with faculty of Gender and Women’s Studies at SUNY Plattsburgh. Nearly 3,000 adults across the North Country were surveyed to better understand residents’ health, healthcare experiences and factors that shape health and well-being. With a special emphasis on women’s health, the study examined topics including overall health status, chronic health conditions, mental health, access to and quality of healthcare services, and experiences growing up in the North Country.

Community leaders and North Country residents will have the opportunity to learn what the survey revealed and consider what the findings may mean for women, families and communities across the region.

Joel LaLone, Director of the Center for Community Studies, says, “Public opinion and public health research are most valuable when they help communities better understand themselves and create opportunities for meaningful conversation. We look forward to sharing these study findings with the community and exploring what they tell us about women’s health and the socio-demographic and social determinant factors that influence health outcomes and challenges in the North Country.”

For more information about the presentation, contact the Center for Community Studies at Jefferson Community College at (315) 786-2264 or email jlalone@sunyjefferson.edu.

The study was funded through contributions from the Northern New York Community Foundation, Cloudsplitter Foundation, SUNY Research Foundation, SUNY Plattsburgh’s School of Arts and Sciences and School of Education, Health, and Human Services, and Jefferson Community College.