KCHD hosted the Community Health Assessment Kick-off Event in the great conference room at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva on May 29. The event begins the new community health assessment that will help us identify key health issues in Kane County.

The Kane County Health Department hosted the Community Health Stakeholder Kick-off event May 29 in the great conference room at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva. This event is the first step needed to update the current 2012-2016 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). It begins the new community health assessment that will help us identify key health issues in Kane County.

Over the next year, the Kane County Health Department will be working with area hospitals, health providers, social service organizations, as well as leaders in business, emergency services, education, municipalities and faith-based communities from across the county to gather the crucial information to prioritize health issues that need to be addressed.

The process involves completing four assessments:

• The Community Health Status Assessment which provides quantitative information on community health conditions. This will be completed using a phone survey of Kane County residents and through focus groups and other surveys.
• The Community Themes and Strengths Assessment which identifies assets in the community and issues that are important to community members.
• The Local Public Health System Assessment that measures how well different local public health system partners work together to deliver theTen Essential Public Health Services.
• The Forces of Change Assessment that identifies forces that may affect a community and opportunities and threats associated with those forces.

All local health departments in Illinois are required to conduct a community health assessment and update their improvement plans every five years. However, KCHD is switching to a three-year cycle to match the requirements that the five hospitals in Kane County must meet as part of IRS regulations under the Affordable Care Act. This way, we are able to pool our resources and conduct one assessment for all the hospitals, social service agencies, and KCHD.

In 2011, the Kane County Health Department joined forces with hospitals, as well as the local United Way and INC Board to gain a comprehensive view of the county’s health needs. The Community Health Assessment andCommunity Health Improvement Plan were adopted by the county board in 2012. To learn more about the CHIP please click HERE.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Matters newsletter