There are no greater community experts than its members. When it comes to community health assessments, community engagement is not just a step to be completed; it is a critical element to the entire assessment process. In "Engaging Communities as Experts throughout the Assessment Process" (2021), readers will learn strategies to center community throughout the assessment process, including: 1️⃣ Assessment design and planning 2️⃣ Data collection 3️⃣ Data analysis, interpretation, and results https://lnkd.in/eayK7u3U
Retired from Massachusetts Dept of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health
1yWould it be possible to link these best practices with the climate planning work that is now focusing on social resilience? Community-centered decision making is the cornerstone of the MVP Program 2.0 but the best practices have already been developed thanks to MDPH BCHAP, HRiA and many others. The same point can be applied to Health Equity Impact Assessment. Climate impacts will amplify the health inequities these programs are trying to address. Public health adaptation and resiliency strategies need to be specified and integrated into all these programs. A healthier engaged community will then be more resilient to climate impacts.