A 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). A CHA examines 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)
A 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. All objectives and strategies are S.M.A.R.T. — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
· Community partners develop and carry out all strategies within the CHIP.
· They track strategies and report progress every 3 months.
2023 Chesterfield County and City of Colonial Heights CHA Report
2025-2028 Chesterfield County and City of Colonial Heights CHIP Report
Powhatan County CHA/CHIP Progress:
The Powhatan County CHA Steering Committee convened in January 2024. We are currently collecting data for this initiative. Give your input on the community survey. Learn more about the process and explore some preliminary data. If you are a Powhatan County resident and are interested in participating in the process, please contact Jessica.brennan@vdh.virginia.gov.