In a joint assessment conducted by the multi-agency initiative, Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), and the Western Idaho Community Health Collaborative, have identified safe, affordable housing, access to affordable healthcare and mental health, and treatment for substance abuse as the most pressing needs for residents of a 10-county region in Idaho.
This is the first time data has been collected as part of a joint community effort. The hope is that this collaborative approach to research will help better address community issues.
The idea is that consolidating research will eliminate duplicate efforts and better utilize resources to evaluate and determine solutions to drive change. Previously, research has been conducted independently among health organizations (federally mandated to occur every three years).
The counties included in the assessment were Ada, Elmore, Boise, Valley, Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and Washington.
Regional partners in the Collaborative include Central District Health, St. Alphonsus and St. Luke's Health Systems, Intermountain Heath, Southwest District Health, United Way of Treasure Valley, and Weiser Memorial Hospital.
The CHNA will also be working in conjunction with a companion site, theIdaho Oregon Community Health Atlas, which serves as a public-facing portal allowing access to data to better understand health disparities within the community.
