Healthier Northshore, an initiative dedicated to bringing people, organizations, and resources together to amplify healthier living throughout St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, is approaching the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) from a fresh, collaborative lens.
Joan Coffman, president and CEO of St. Tammany Health System, said for this iteration of the Community Health Needs Assessment, Healthier Northshore engaged their hospital and health system stakeholders, in a unified effort to produce a regional picture of the health of our community to inform our strategy moving forward.
Senator Bill Cassidy was on hand to help announce the joint Healthier Northshore CHNA with community stakeholders and offered his support of the effort. Senator Cassidy said they want every family in Louisiana to have opportunity for themselves and for their children and grandchildren and Healthier Northshore is taking a total view of how to achieve this.
Every three years, hospitals and health systems throughout the country are required by the IRS to complete a CHNA. This systematic process evaluates the health needs and priorities of communities, through the data gathered during the assessment period to identify gaps, develop strategies and allocate resources to improve community health. The Louisiana Public Health Institute and United Way of Southeast Louisiana have been engaged to help facilitate and develop the Healthier Northshore Community Health Needs Assessment.
Michael Williamson, United Way of Southeast Louisiana President and CEO said with the joint CHNA they are collaborating with trusted community partners to gather and analyze the data, resulting in an actionable plan that addresses the region’s most pressing health needs.
This joint Healthier Northshore CHNA will serve to guide the efforts of the initiative and health systems/hospitals in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes.
