Planning for the 2011 Healthy Community Council Assessment

The Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Healthy Community Council (HCC) has conducted a community-wide needs assessment on quality of life every five years since 1996. The HCC is a nonprofit community-based network composed of over 100 local stakeholders representing both public and private organizations. The mission of the HCC is “to enhance the quality of life for the community through collaborative efforts of individuals, agencies, and institutions.”

The purpose of this presentation is to outline the process that is being utilized by the HCC assessment team members in planning and conducting the 2011 HCC Assessment on quality of life within the community. The process includes 1) evaluation and refinement of the existing assessment instrument, 2) selection of assessment methodology, 3) inclusion and input of community stakeholders, 4) development of assessment budget and obtainment of funding sources, 5) collection of assessment data, and 6) analysis and reporting of results.

In previous HCC assessments, the data has been used to obtain funding for community based programs. From the 2001 assessment, nearly $11 million was obtained in grants, contracts, and other financial support to provide services to those in need within the community. This presentation may provide a framework for community leaders who may be assessing local needs and overall quality of life.