History of the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)

Local health departments in North Carolina are required to conduct a comprehensive community health assessment every four years. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all tax-exempt hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment every three years. Two types of data are analyzed for the CHNA: secondary data and primary data. Secondary data is data that was collected from other sources (e.g. N.C. Center for State Health Statistics), while primary data was collected directly from people living in Onslow County via online and paper surveys. Part of the assessment also includes identifying priority areas and developing improvement plans to address priorities.  

In 2015, with permission from the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Onslow County Health Department (OCHD) and Onslow Memorial Hospital (OMH) joined together to create one Onslow County Community Health Needs Assessment. Three assessments later, OCHD and OMH continue partnering on identifying health concerns within the community and creating plans to improve the overall health of Onslow County. 

Community Health Advisory Team (CHAT) Vision Statement

The CHAT serves as the leadership team that leads, supports, and executes the CHNA and the Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs) that are identified from the CHNA results. OCHD and OMH facilitate CHAT, which meets bi-monthly. These CHIPs are placed on the Scorecard to promote awareness, accountability, and transparency of the ongoing work of OCHD, OMH, and community partners. 

Partnerships

The CHAT is a team of stakeholders that meet to discuss public health issues and work collaboratively to improve the health of people living in Onslow County. Stakeholders include representatives from non-profit organizations, healthcare, government, faith leaders, and concerned residents. A comprehensive list of CHAT members can be found in the 2021 CHNA. 

If you are interested in learning more about CHAT or are interested in joining CHAT, please contact the Onslow County Community Relations Team at community_relations@onslowcountync.gov. 

Health Priorities

On December 9, 2021, OCHD and OMH met with the CHAT to review the results of the 2021 CHNA. In comparing the results of the survey with secondary data and available resources, CHAT identified five priorities: 

1. Data and Evaluation
2. Mental/Behavioral Health
   • Substance Use and Tobacco Use
   • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
3. Health Equity & Health Disparities
   1. Chronic Disease
   2. Preventative Care
4. Healthy Living
   1. Women's and Children's Health
   2. Breastfeeding
5. Physical Activity and Exercise

Next Steps

With the completion of the 2021 CHNA, and health priorities chosen, this Scorecard serves as OCHD's and OMH's Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs). To support each health priority, the CHAT developed CHIP teams to help plan, implement, and evaluate programs within each health priority. CHAT members are assigned to specific CHIP teams depending on their personal interests or the agency's needs. CHIP teams will meet regularly in between bi-monthly CHAT meetings to work on program planning, implementation, and evaluation.