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CITY, ND – (NewsDakota.com) Several local representatives from area organizations gathered recently in an effort to gauge overall health needs and identify health concerns of Barnes County residents.
City-County Health District and CHI Mercy Health are spearheading the community health needs assessment asking participants to give their input, through a series of meetings, regarding perceived strengths and weaknesses in health-related areas.
A survey was distributed throughout the county between Nov. 3 and Nov. 20, 2015 and residents were asked their opinions on a number of health issues. 658 surveys were completed.
City-County Health and CHI Mercy Health received assistance in conducting the assessment from the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
As a result of the CHNA process, the following needs were identified as the most pressing concerns facing our community: shortage in mental health services, substance abuse (alcohol and drugs), licensed childcare shortage, and bullying/cyberbullying. These prioritized needs will guide strategic planning and implementation, encourage collaboration to address these needs, and set the stage for improving our community.
“The Community Health Needs Assessment is an instrumental tool used to carry out CHI Mercy Health’s mission to nurture the healing ministry of the church, supported by education and research, said Stephanie Mayfield, Director of Missions at CHI Mercy Health. “Fidelity to the Gospel urges us to emphasize human dignity and social justice as we create healthier communities.”
“We also want to thank the community members who volunteered their time to provide their input through one-on-one interviews and distributing the surveys,” said Theresa Will, CCHD director. “Your participation helped make this process collaborative and we greatly appreciate the insights you provided.”
Community health needs assessment participants were drawn from a wide range of entities interested in health-related issues. Assessment leaders appreciate the businesses and organizations who partnered with them by making the survey available to residents: Barnes County Social Services, Veterans Services, Our Savior’s Lutheran, Faith Lutheran and Epworth Methodist churches, Barnes County Courthouse, Barnes County Senior Center, Valley City and Barnes County schools, Valley City State University, Head Start, VC Children Center, TL Childcare, Circle of Friends Preschool, Sanford and Essentia Clinics, Department of Motor Vehicles, VC/BC Library, VFW, Optimists, Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs.
For more information about the CHNA process or to get involved with helping to address these needs, contact Theresa Will, CCHD, at 845-8518. To learn of other ND communities’ prioritized needs and ideas to address them, go to www.ndchna.org for a complete list of CHNA reports and implementation strategies.
A periodic community needs assessment is one of the new requirements of health care reform laws. The new regulations require non-profit hospitals such as CHI Mercy Health to assess the community’s health needs periodically.