The Community Health Assessment (CHA)
· Is a collaborative process that bring local organizations/groups and residents together to gain the truest understanding of life in our district
· Looks beyond the traditional medical definition of health (i.e. the healthcare system) to examine the social determinants of health such as housing, income, employment, education, access to healthy food and more
· Provides a framework to understand the health outcomes of the CHD by identifying important health needs and existing community assets
The information gained from a CHA leads to developing a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)
The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)
· Is a collaborative plan that brings local organizations/groups and residents together to develop an action plan for the community based on the data discovered in the CHA.
· Ensures that the priorities are relevant to the concerns of the community and that all objectives and strategies are
S.M.A.R.T. — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound
· All strategies within the CHIP are developed and carried out by community partners.
· Strategies are tracked and progress is reported every 3 months.
Chesterfield County and City of Colonial Heights CHA/CHIP Progress:
The Chesterfield County and City of Colonial Heights 2023 CHA findings can be found here: Chesterfield Health District (virginia.gov)
The Chesterfield/Colonial Heights CHIP Steering Committee will convene starting January 2024. Four workgroups will form to address each of the community-identified priority issues: Mental Health Challenges, Knowledge of Available Resources, Access to Primary Care Services, and Access to Dental Care Services.
Powhatan County CHA/CHIP Progress:
The Powhatan County CHA Steering Committee will convene starting February 2024. If you are a Powhatan County resident, and are interested in participating in the process please contact Jessica.brennan@vdh.virginia.gov