[Archived] Health Department Plans Community Health Assessment

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

ALEXANDRIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT PLANS
COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT

The demographics and health needs of Alexandrians are continually changing, and in response to those changes, the Alexandria Health Department, with the support of the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission, plans to launch a Community Health Assessment of Alexandria. The goal is to answer questions such as: How healthy are our residents? What does the health status of our community look like? How does our community stand in relation to peer communities, state data, and national data? Data from the assessment will help ensure that the health community is strategically prioritizing resources, setting goals, effectively focusing prevention programs, and determining resources available to address health priorities.

An orientation meeting for a proposed Community Health Assessment steering committee is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 9 in the Board Room of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the meeting is to introduce the purpose and methodology of a Community Health Assessment, and to explain how this project can benefit the overall health status of Alexandria. Mayor Kerry Donley has been invited to provide opening remarks about the project.

This assessment will bring together a variety of groups who place their focus on different aspects of health in Alexandria. A steering committee of residents, community leaders and City health staff will guide the process, collaborate efforts and resources so that tasks are not duplicated by multiple agencies, contribute pre-gathered data, and determine some health initiatives and implementation plans that could improve the overall health status of the citizens of Alexandria.

“We are committed to working with the community to assess the health status of our residents and to identify some targets of opportunity to improve health.,” said Dr. Charles Konigsberg, Jr., MD, MPH, Director of the Alexandria Health Department.

For more information, call Dr. Konigsberg at 703.838.4872 or project coordinator, Robin Annison at 703.838.4400 ext. 223.