Assessing community health needs and developing plans to address selected needs are essential to effective community benefit programs. This concept was reinforced by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted March 23, 2010, which contains requirements for tax-exempt hospitals to conduct community health needs assessments (CHNAs) and to adopt implementation strategies (ISs) to meet the health needs identified through the assessments.
Assessing and Addressing Community Health Needs was developed to help not-for-profit health care organizations strengthen their assessment and community benefit planning processes. Using CHA's previous work, the experience of community benefit professionals and public health expertise, this book offers practical advice on how hospitals can work with community and public health partners to assess community health needs and develop effective strategies for improving health in our communities.