Mercer County
Mercer County is home to 40,783 residents. The county seat and largest town is Celina. Celina is located on the northwestern shore of Grand Lake St Marys and is home to WSU’s Lake Campus. Other towns in the county that you may encounter patients from include Coldwater, Fort Recovery, St. Henry, and Rockford. Mercer County Community Hospital is located in Coldwater. Mercer County has a bustling economy and boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the state of Ohio. The major industries in the county include agriculture and manufacturing. Mercer County has a large population of immigrants from the Marshall Islands, an island country in the Pacific Ocean. The county’s Community Health Improvement Plan priorities include nutrition and weight status, mental health, and substance abuse.
Auglaize County
Auglaize County is home to 45,920 residents. The county seat is Wapakoneta, the birthplace of astronaut Neil Armstrong. Joint Township District Memorial Hospital is in St. Marys, a town just east of Grand Lake St. Marys. The county’s economy is based in manufacturing. Other towns in Auglaize county include Minster, New Bremen, and New Knoxville. The county’s Community Health Improvement Plan priorities for 2018–2021 include chronic disease management, mental health, and addiction.
Darke County
Darke County has a population of 52,959 according to the 2010 census. Greenville is the county seat and largest city. Other towns you may encounter patients from include North Star, Versailles, and Arcanum. Darke County is one of the top agricultural counties in Ohio with over 1600 farms and over 80% of the county’s land being cropland. Wayne HealthCare Hospital and Family Health Services of Darke County are located in Greenville. The county’s Community Health Improvement Plan priorities include chronic disease prevention and education, coordinated care and case management, mental health and substance abuse.
Allen County
Allen County is the northernmost of our rural rotation sites. According to the 2010 census, it is home to 106,331 residents. The county seat is Lima, where Mercy St. Rita’s Medical Center is located. Other towns include Delphos, Bluffton, and Spencerville. If rotating in August, check out the annual Allen County Fair, the largest county fair in the state of Ohio with over 220,000 visitors. The community’s Community Health Improvement Plan priorities for 2018-2020 include mental health and substance use, chronic disease prevention, maternal and infant health, and housing and public transportation.