Community health assessments collect and analyze quantitative data (like statistics and percentages) and qualitative data (like observations and opinions) to understand the health needs of a specific community. These assessments–which may used to explore a broad range of factors such as disease prevalence, average life span, poverty, uninsurance, and more–are used to inform decisions about where to invest resources to improve the health of the community.
The Washtenaw Health Initiative has conducted a number of community health assessments over the years, including one to determine how the Affordable Care Act of 2010 would impact the county’s health and health system, one to assess the availability of dental care for vulnerable populations, and one to identify gaps in mental health and substance use services across the county.
Since 2015, the Unified Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan Team Engagement (UNITE) workgroup conducts community health need assessments every three years in partnership with Michigan Medicine and Trinity Health.