Saint Alphonsus Releases Findings of its Community Health Needs Assessment for the Ontario Region

Study Gives Snapshot of Social Influencers of Health for the Ontario Region

Ontario, OR –Saint Alphonsus Health System has released its Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for the Western Treasure Valley, including Malheur County in Oregon and Payette and Washington Counties in Idaho. The 2020 CHNA will help the health system focus efforts at improving the social influencers of health in the communities it serves.

The World Health Organization defines Social Influencers of Health as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources.”

The 2020 Ontario CHNA identified the following most significant health needs: safe, affordable housing and homelessness, financial stability and cost of living (i.e. housing, transportation, childcare, etc.), mental health and well-being, substance use including tobacco and vape, childcare and education, access to healthcare including oral health, chronic diseases, wages and job availability, sexually transmitted infections, access to birth control and teen pregnancy, food security, transportation, and physical activity and recreation opportunities. The Ontario region is unique in that the population who live, work, learn, and play there are quite mobile across the Idaho and Oregon border, meaning many live in one state, but work, recreate, shop, etc. in the other.

“This assessment provides a snapshot of the health, and drivers of health, of our communities,” said Jennifer Palagi, Vice President of Community Health and Well-Being for Saint Alphonsus Health System. “It also helps us identify opportunities to positively impact and improve conditions for the population we serve. As the community grows, the support systems for our most vulnerable citizens stretches thin, and this report help us focus resources where they will do the most good.”

The health system is required to conduct a CHNA every three years. Since the 2017 Assessment, Saint Alphonsus has focused investments and hospital resources to address nutrition, physical activity and healthy weight status, education and access to health services.

Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Ontario treated almost 4,000 student injuries by providing professional athletic trainers to local high schools. SAMC – Ontario also funded GoNoodle, an online activity program that promotes physical activity and mindfulness during class instruction time, reaching more than 18,000 Ontario-area students with over 41,000 hours of physical activity time.

Additionally, the Ontario hospital supported the Treasure Valley Technical (TVT) program by serving as an educational site for CNA students, providing speakers and mentors to classes/students, acting in an advisory role for TVT board and CNA programs, providing supplied for CNA classes, and providing free medical screenings to allow CNA students to be licensed in the state of Oregon.

“While the 2020 CHNA data collection was completed prior to COVID-19, it is important to recognize the assets and challenges the community was facing before so that we may best focus our efforts for recovery,” Palagi added. “The data shows that older adults, communities of color, and people experiencing financial hardships prior to COVID-19 have been impacted at much higher rates both in terms of health and economic outcomes.”

The 2020 Saint Alphonsus Community Health Needs Assessment can be found online at https://www.saintalphonsus.org/about-us/community-benefit/community-needs-assessment/. Each Saint Alphonsus hospital in Boise, Nampa and Ontario, Oregon will use findings from the report to direct local investments in each community through 2023.