FAQ
About CHNAs
CHNA stands for Community Health Needs Assessment.
A Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is an ongoing, dynamic process aimed at identifying the assets, strengths and needs of communities in order to establish health and wellness priorities and improve the population’s health status.
Under New Brunswick’s Regional Health Authorities Act, the regional health authorities, i.e., Vitalité Health Network and Horizon Health Network, are responsible for identifying the health needs of the communities they serve.
The main objective of a CHNA is to compile a list of priority health and wellness needs that will assist decision-makers in planning resources in the community.
Participating in a CHNA
Anyone in a given community is welcome to participate in the CHNA process.
Anyone interested in participating in the CHNA of their community or of a community where they work can do so by following this link.
Residents or professionals interested in participating in a CHNA can either join the Community Advisory Committee, which advises on health priorities, or share their health and wellness knowledge and experience through focus groups or individual interviews.
A CHNA takes one to two months to prepare, six to seven months to engage with the community, and three to four months to write and publish a report.
CHNA results
The CHNA establishes a list of priority health and wellness needs and recommends solutions to improve the health of the population. The list of priorities assists decision-makers in planning resources in the community.
All CHNA reports already completed are available here.
The results of a CHNA are usually available three to six months after the community engagement process is finished.
CHNA communities
CHNAs are done for each of the communities defined by the New Brunswick Health Council, which divides New Brunswick into 33 communities. Vitalité Health Network covers 13 of those communities.
The geographic boundaries of the communities defined by the New Brunswick Health Council can be seen here. These boundaries divide New Brunswick into 33 communities. Vitalité Health Network covers 13 of those communities.
All CHNA reports already completed are available here.
