Community Health Needs Assessment released

Mesa County Public Health (MCPH) knows that health starts where we live, learn, work, and play. Our agency acts as a health strategist for the community - looking at all factors that contribute to a person’s overall health.

Every three years, MCPH collaborates with local hospitals and organizations to produce a comprehensive report called the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). It presents information and analysis on the current health status of Mesa County. This creates a more unified approach to improving health and quality of life in our community. This assessment examines five main areas including economic stability, education, health care and access, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context.

This is the first step in a three-year cycle. After assessing the health status of Mesa County, the next step is for MCPH and our assessment partners to identify priority issues and plan projects to improve outcomes. The third step is to implement those plans in partnership with organizations and agencies across the community and track our progress.

“We identify opportunities for community-driven solutions,” said Executive Director Xavier Crockett. “Our collaborative approach is rooted in the belief that community-driven solutions lead to resilient residents, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods.”

MCPH is grateful for the assessment partners who came together to shape the content of this report. They include:

• Community Hospital,
• Family Health West,
• Hilltop,
• Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital, 
• Marillac Health, 
• Mind Springs,
• Monument Health, 
• and the VA Hospital.

“Mesa County continues to be a leader in its collaborative approach to building healthier communities. Intermountain St. Mary's Regional Hospital uses the CHNA as a critical road map to create lasting health solutions for residents in western Colorado. Having one document we all can work from aligns our community health goals and helps us work together to improve the health of our community. St. Mary's is proud to be a partner in this unique collaboration,” said Bryan Johnson, President, Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital. 

All of these organizations are able to use this document to make decisions about their services and apply for funding.

“The CHNA is an extremely valuable resource for our nonprofit counseling agency,” said Hali Nurnberg, Executive Director, Counseling and Education Center. “The CHNA has provided us with concrete and objective numbers that lend credence and provide new insights into what we've known for years. As we move forward with plans to open a second counseling location in Orchard Mesa, data from the CHNA that illustrates the community's need for more behavioral health providers has helped us craft successful grant applications and appeals to donors.”

Some of the key findings in this CHNA include:

• Many households in Mesa County struggle to reach economic stability.
• Mesa County continues to be a child care desert, but access is increasing.
• Housing insecurity significantly burdens Mesa County residents.
• Mesa County has a shortage of behavioral health providers.
• Mesa County residents frequently use the emergency department for visits that could be completed with primary care doctors at lower cost and more effective whole health care.
• Rates of suicide ideation, attempt, and death in Mesa County are worrisome.
• Alcohol consumption is common among youth and adults, and plays a role in serious health outcomes.
• Youth relationships with their families and peers are primary risk or protective factors in substance use and mental health.

“The CHNA shows us where we can grow as a community, and together we have the talent and gumption to see real progress in the coming years,” said Crockett.

Access the entire report and explore the data on our website. By helping address economic, social and educational concerns in Mesa County, we can all work together to create a vibrant, caring and connected community so everyone has the opportunity to thrive.