State Health Assessment

Currently, not enough data exists to describe the experience of communities experiencing inequities in achieving their best health and wellness.  Recognizing the importance of elevating those experiences in the SHA, and the need to identify creative means to build connections with different communities, Advisory Council’s Subcommittee on Community Engagement was convened. To narrow down the initial set of community identities for focus in this SHA and SHIP, the Subcommittee considered the following questions: 

• Did the initial statewide 2021 Community Engagement Survey show significantly different experiences for a community, compared to the overall statewide results?
• Are there recent or ongoing data collection efforts focused on the community in question?
• How difficult was it for a community to access COVID-related information and resources?
• How likely is it that an identity may overlap in communities? How will intersectionality play a role in understanding a community member’s experience

For the current SHA, the Subcommittee on Community Engagement recommended focused engagement with people who share any of the following identities or experiences:

• Communities of color
• Refugee and immigrant status
• Deaf or hard of hearing
• Blind or low vision
• Experiencing any kind of housing insecurity
• Members of the LGBTQIA+
• Experiencing the impacts of incarceration

The Subcommittee engaged in intensive efforts to collect additional information from these communities through a series of listening sessions and targeted survey recruitment.  The experiences shared by members of these communities are incorporated throughout the SHA, and highlighted as quotes and data points throughout the website.