September 12, 2024
RAHD Media Contact: Allison Balmes-John, Allison.Balmes@vdh.virginia.gov
MWHC Media Contact: Eric Fletcher, Eric.Fletcher@mwhc.com
Rappahannock Area Health District and Mary Washington Healthcare Announce Launch of 2025 Community Health Assessment
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) and Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) are excited to announce the launch of their joint 2025 Community Health Assessment (CHA) for Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties, and the City of Fredericksburg, as well as MWHC’s surrounding service areas. Building on the success of their 2022 collaboration, which saw participation from more than 70 organizations, including nonprofits, faith-based groups, and government agencies, RAHD and MWHC are embarking together on this important initiative once again.
“Our last Community Health Assessment in 2022 exceeded our expectations. We saw a multitude of organizations come together to collaboratively address the biggest issues affecting health in our community which had not been seen before in our area,” said Xavier Richardson, MWHC Senior Vice President and President of Mary Washington Foundation and Stafford Hospital Foundation. “We look forward to improving upon that experience to engage even more organizations and people in our region in the 2025 assessment.”
The CHA is a critical tool for gaining a comprehensive understanding of our community’s health needs and resources. Expanding the focus beyond traditional healthcare measures, this assessment will explore a broad range of social drivers of health, including housing, income, employment, education, food insecurity, and access to care. This collaborative effort will engage various organizations, groups, and residents to paint a detailed picture of health and health disparities in our community.
“The CHA is about getting a clear picture of the urgent health needs in our community and aligning community resources to better address those needs,” said Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo, Health Director for RAHD. “A key step is to hear directly from residents about the health needs in our community, and we encourage community members from all walks of life to get involved and provide feedback during this process.”
To launch the CHA, a series of kickoff meetings will be held throughout the region:
- Thursday, Sept. 26, 1 – 2:30 p.m., Porter Library, 2001 Parkway Blvd., Stafford
- Friday, Sept. 27, 12 – 1:30 p.m., Fick Center, 1301 Sam Perry Blvd., Fredericksburg
- Thursday, Oct. 3, 1 – 2:30 p.m., Salem Church Library, 2607 Salem Church Road, Fredericksburg
- Tuesday, Oct. 15, 12 – 1:30 p.m., Caroline Community Services Center, EOC Conference Room, 17202 Richmond Turnpike, Milford
- Thursday, Oct. 17, 12 – 1:30 p.m., King George Citizens Center, 8076 Kings Highway, King George
- Wednesday, Oct. 23, 7 – 8:30 p.m., online meeting
Residents, as well as representatives from local businesses, nonprofits and government organizations, are invited to attend any of the kickoff meetings. Lunch will be provided at all in-person meetings. Registration is requested, and is available at https://tinyurl.com/chakickoff2025
The assessment will incorporate both quantitative data and qualitative feedback to identify key health priorities. The insights gained will inform the development of a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), aimed at enhancing population health outcomes and addressing community inequities. RAHD and MWHC plan to initiate the three year CHIP process in spring 2025, following the completion of the CHA.
For more information on the previous CHA and CHIP, please visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock/fy23-fy25_cha-chip or www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/foundations/community-benefit-fund. For additional information about the CHA and CHIP processes, please visit the NACCHO website at https://www.naccho.org/programs/public-health-infrastructure/performance-improvement/community-health-assessment