-CHNA REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY RIDGEVIEW

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON JUNE 14, 2022

 

COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT

All tax exempt, not-for-profit hospitals are required to conduct a community health needs assessment on a three-year cycle and make the results publicly available.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 creates an opportunity for hospitals and public health agencies to accelerate community health improvement by conducting triennial community health needs assessments and adopting related implementation strategies that address significant health needs.

Building upon our shared community health needs assessment efforts of 2013, 2016, and 2019 Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services and Methodist Medical Center partnered once again to conduct a joint community health needs assessment for Anderson County. Although both organizations provide health care for multiple counties, Anderson County was selected for the assessment. Anderson County is where both institutions receive the majority of their patients and deploy the bulk of their community benefit resources.

By combining the expertise of Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services and Methodist Medical Center, the mental and physical dimensions of health have both been incorporated, offering a unique perspective in identifying the broader health needs of Anderson County.

ASSESSMENT PARTNERS

A collaborative team of community and health organizations came together to work on the 2022 Anderson County Needs Assessment. These included the following:

1. Anderson County Health Department
2. Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge
3. Methodist Medical Center
4. Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Data Collection and Review: The health of Anderson County was researched using a variety of qualitative and quantitative data.

1. Ridgeview, Methodist Medical Center, Free Medical Clinic, and Anderson County Health Department were actively involved in collecting data using a survey for residents of Anderson County. For continuity in comparative analysis to previous CHNA survey results, the tool remained the same with the addition of a column to rate how much the health issue has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey participants were asked for their perspectives on the health and quality of life in Anderson County. University of Tennessee – Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (UT-SWORPS) complemented the data collection by conducting on-line survey collection through social media and other targeted web-based efforts. Total number of surveys collected was 297, representing the proportional demographics of the county and including at-risk populations.
2. Four (4) virtual focus groups were conducted with 23 community leaders representing social services, education system, faith-based community, seniors, civic leadership, low-income, and uninsured, among others. The focus groups occurred on April 5 and 7 at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All focus groups were facilitated by UT-SWORPS. The purpose of the Focus Groups was to revisit the health issues identifeid in 2019 facing residents of Anderson County, including residents form vulnerable populations; to assess how the COIVD-19 pandemic has impacted those previously identified health issues; to reflect on what resources are currently available and what additional resources may be needed to address these health issues; and to reflect on additional community health needs that have emerged. Summary of Focus Group report can be found here.
3. Health statistics were gathered from the Tennessee Department of Health, County Health Rankings, Kids Count, hospital discharge data, and the United States Census Bureau. 2022 Anderson County Data table can be accessed here.
4. UT SWORPS' Center for Applied Research and Evaluation aggregate survey data can be accessed here. Anderson County Demographics results can be accessed here. 2020 Anderson County Mortality Data can be accessed here.
5. Regional data collected by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services was also reviewed with emphasis being placed on the survey results completed by consumers, advocates, and behavioral health providers in the region.
6. A data synthesis team met on May 26 and June 9 to review the data and determine the top health priorities. The Data Team was formed consisting of 10 individuals representing both hospitals, the health department, the school system, Free Medical Clinic, and several community social service agencies. This group met to identify, discuss, and prioritize the findings from the assessment data sources.

PRIORITIES FOR 2022 – 2024

The data team selected the following ten health opportunities, which were then narrowed to the top four following extensive discussion (the top four indicated with bold/italics). The top four will be the focus during the 2022-2024 assessment cycle:

Mental Health

Substance Use

Lack of physical activity/obesity

Tobacco / Vaping

Lack of affordable housing

Poverty

Reliable and affordable transportation

Health Education for Chronic Conditions

Diabetes

Toxic stress

 

Ridgeview and Methodist Medical Center will continue to collaborate on a final PDF printable report and the subsequent Implementation Plans, which are scheduled for release in the fall of 2022.

 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO SERVED ON THE FOCUS GROUP AND/OR THE ASSESSMENT DATA TEAM:

 

-CHNA ACTION / IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY 

RIDGEVIEW'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON NOVEMBER 3, 2022

 

ACTION / IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

The 2022 Anderson County Needs Assessment (CHNA) has provided a good foundation on which to build measurable community health improvement. Two of the most significant issues for Anderson County, substance use and mental health are central to the core mission and purpose of Ridgeview. The other two significant health neAeds identified, tobacco/vaping and lack of physical activity/obesity, will be the focus of Methodist Medical Center’s action plan. Together, Ridgeview and Methodist Medical Center will synergistically address the four primary goals of the CHNA, working together with other community organizations.

Ridgeview will continue to provide the following substance use disorder programming:

• STOP (Substance-use Treatment Outpatient Program)
• MIST (Mothers and Infants Sober Together)
• Ridgeview Re-entry – Specialized substance use disorder service for incarcerated individuals
• Inpatient Psychiatric Unit – treatment services for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders

Ridgeview will also continue to provide Same Day Access walk-in hours at Outpatient Clinic locations to ensure timely access to quality behavioral health services; walk in clinic hours allow individuals to receive a bio-psychosocial mental health assessment to begin care and promote their hope, healing, and recovery. Additionally, Ridgeview offers Mobile Crisis Walk-in availability weekdays from 9 am – 9 pm.

What follows is Ridgeview’s action plan. Methodist Medical Center’s tactics to measurably improve the identified community health needs will be added once approved by their Board of Directors.

1. SUBSTANCE USE

GOAL A:

Ridgeview will take the lead in developing educational programs and a media strategy focusing on the nature, causes and outcomes of substance use, existing available services and the recovery process.

Program Action 1:

Ridgeview will structure and coordinate educational trainings / presentations for the community focusing on substance use treatment and services.

Program Action 2:

Ridgeview will contribute to local newspapers and agency’s social media platform regarding impact of substance use and host media releases on agency website.

GOAL B:

Ridgeview will initiate routine contact with community partners in order to provide up-to-date information substance use programming and how referral sources can access these treatment services.

Program Action 1:

Ridgeview will provide in-service training programs on substance use to interested partner agencies.

Program Action 2:

Ridgeview will share the findings of the Anderson County CHNA on the agency website.

GOAL C:

Ridgeview will monitor, pursue, and apply for any local, state, or federal substance use grant-funded programs that will enhance and/or complement its existing substance use continuum of care.

Program Action:

Ridgeview will utilize Director of Development position and the Grant Review Team to accomplish the above-stated goal.

2. MENTAL HEALTH:

GOAL A:

Ridgeview will develop educational programs and media strategy focusing on the nature, causes, and treatment of mental illness, existing available services, and the recovery process.

Program Action 1:

Ridgeview will structure and coordinate educational trainings / presentations for the community focusing on mental health treatment and services.

Program Action 2:

Ridgeview will contribute to local newspapers and agency’s social media platform regarding impact of mental illness and host press releases on the agency website.

GOAL B:

Ridgeview will initiate routine contact with community partners in order to provide up-to-date information on mental health programming and how referral sources can access these treatment services.

Program Action 1:

Ridgeview will provide in-service training programs on optimizing mental health and treating mental illness to interested partner agencies.

Program Action 2:

Ridgeview will share the findings of the Anderson County CHNA on the agency website.

GOAL C:

Ridgeview will monitor, pursue, and apply for any identified local, state, or federal mental health grant-funded programs that will enhance and/or complement its existing mental health continuum of care.

Program Action:

Ridgeview will utilize Director of Development position and the Grant Review Team to accomplish the above-stated goal.

3. TOBACCO / VAPING

These two following health needs will be primarily addressed by Methodist Medical Center in their action plan. Ridgeview, as indicated below, is adding a goal specific to those individuals actively receiving behavioral health services from Ridgeview.

GOAL:

Ridgeview is a recent recipient of a grant through the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services called, My Health, My Choice, My Life. It is a peer-led health wellness and chronic disease prevention, self-management program requiring certification by the state and targeted toward individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders.

Program Action:

The certified peer wellness coach will interface with the individual’s primary care physician and Ridgeview staff to address obesity, tobacco recovery, diabetes self-management programs and other chronic medical conditions of the many clients we serve. These individuals will all be active clients of Ridgeview.

4. LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY / OBESITY:

GOAL:

Ridgeview is a recent recipient of a grant through the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services called, My Health, My Choice, My Life. It is a peer-led health wellness and chronic disease prevention, self-management program requiring certification by the state and targeted toward individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders.

Program Action:

The certified peer wellness coach will interface with the individual’s primary care physician and Ridgeview staff to address obesity, tobacco recovery, diabetes self-management programs and other chronic medical conditions of the many clients we serve. These individuals will all be active clients of Ridgeview.