The Collaborative is currently undertaking a Community Health Needs Assessment, which commenced in October, 2021. The process will result in a new Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan for the City of Boston in 2022.  Given the comprehensive CHIP developed by the Collaborative in 2019, this CHNA will focus on three areas:

• Achieving Racial and Ethnic Health Equity. We will be explicit in our overarching goal of achieving racial and ethnic health equity and addressing structural racism.
• Understanding COVID-19 Impacts. We will work to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on specific populations.
• Building on Community Health Improvement Plan Priorities. We will build on current Priority Areas: Housing, Economic Mobility and Financial Stability, Access to Care and Services, and Behavioral Health.

The Collaborative has established three working groups to assist in conducting the Community Health Needs Assessment and developing the Community Health Improvement Plan:

• Community Engagement
  • Purpose: A qualitative assessment of needs through community engagement.
  • Co-chairs: Ricky Guerra, Community Representative and Robert Torres, Beth Israel Lahey Health
• Secondary Data
  • Purpose: A quantitative assessment of needs through review of existing reports data.
  • Co-chairs: Trang Hickman, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Johnna Murphy, Boston Public Health Commission
• Community Health Improvement Plan Planning & Implementation
  • Purpose: Create a streamlined CHIP that responds to COVID-19 impacts, our CHIP priorities, and our commitment to achieving racial and ethnic health equity and ending structural racism.
  • Chair: Michelle Keenan, Brigham & Women’s Hospital