Long before Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) became a standard practice for nonprofit healthcare organizations, Intermountain Health was deeply rooted in a tradition of listening, responding, and adapting to the unique needs of the communities we serve. Today, while CHNAs provide a structured, systematic way to identify and address community health challenges, our foundational commitment remains unchanged: we exist to improve community well-being by understanding and meeting local needs.
How we listen
The CHNA process involves listening to the unique needs of community members through the following channels:
- Surveys of residents
- Community meetings
- Interviews and surveys with key stakeholders
- Public health departments
- Other healthcare providers
- Community coalitions
Intermountain conducts assessments every three years in every community we serve, meeting federal requirements and understanding critical population needs.
We use the findings to develop implementation strategies that leverage community resources with our expertise to address health needs. This data-driven approach ensures responsive, effective strategies that address emerging health needs.
Each state in our service area is at a different stage in their three-year assessment cycle:
- In 2024, our Community Health team completed five CHNAs for our Colorado care sites. The team is now developing implementation strategies to address behavioral health, economic stability, access to care, and child and family well-being.
- We completed a CHNA in Southern Nevada in 2022.
- In Utah, we are conducting CHNAs for 24 care sites in 2025.
- Montana’s assessments will occur in 2026, with planning meetings already underway.
Moving upstream
One of Intermountain’s top strategic priorities is proactive care, and our CHNA process aligns with an upstream approach to prevent significant health issues before they occur. In the most recent cycles of the CHNAs in each state, Intermountain has prioritized addressing the social drivers of health, including housing, nutrition security, and economic stability.
For example, residents and community stakeholders consistently rank affordable housing as a crucial need, so Intermountain makes investments in affordable housing projects. Place Based Investing focuses on housing stability, employment, and financial wellness to support healthier lives and reduce longstanding health disparities.
By engaging with our communities, leveraging data, fostering collaboration, and taking impactful action, we build a healthier future for all.
Investing in the future
Meeting community needs may be a distinguishing factor for nonprofits, but it’s always something we’ve felt accountable for—even before CHNAs existed. As a nonprofit, we’re engaged in upstream activities and prioritizing caring for our vulnerable populations. Guided by our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible, we do the right thing now and into the future.