Community health assessment and planning and community engagement
A community health assessment (CHA) and community health improvement plan (CHIP) serve to identify and address community health issues.
An effective community health assessment and planning process includes community engagement—collaboration between entities with diverse and relevant expertise, and participation reflective of the community served. It is essential to reach out and engage populations most affected by a particular health issue, in order to understand the contributing conditions and identify effective strategies and activities.
Understanding a community's assets and strengths is as important as understanding its challenges. It is necessary to seek engagement, perspectives, and input from different community populations, in order to identify and build on existing community assets.
Long-lasting health improvements can happen when:
- a community develops a shared vision of health,
- you involve stakeholders from the beginning of the process and throughout the process,
- multiple sectors accept their role in creating the public's health, and
- you establish shared ownership and accountability for the work.
No single organization or entity can create a healthy community. We need community engagement and collaboration more than ever to move the work of community health forward with efficiency and effectiveness.
Learn more about community health assessment and community health improvement plans: