Discussion Question #1:

What is involved in completing a community health assessment (CHA) by the public health department? What is involved in completing a community health needs assessment (CHNA) by non-profit hospitals and academic medical centers? Assuming there is an interest in working collaboratively to conduct a comprehensive community health needs assessment, what barriers might be expected? How can the perceived barriers be overcome? If a public health department collaborates with a hospital to complete a community health needs assessment, will that assessment meet the legal requirements for both entities or will they be expected to produce two separate assessments? What are the perceived benefits of the public health department and hospitals working collaboratively to complete a community health needs assessment? What are the potential consequences should a public health department or health system fail to complete their community health assessment as prescribed by law?