Community Health Assessment

The Stark County Community Health Assessment Process is a collaboration of local public health, hospitals and health care organizations, social services agencies, non profit organizations and community volunteers who meet regularly to identify community needs and develop a plan to address those needs.  The process includes the following:

Identifying sources of health information and data to collect and update (including both primary and secondary data sources)

Surveying key informants and community members who have knowledge of or experience with the community needs or problems

Analyzing and discussing all data and issues to prioritize the top health needs

Developing an implementation plan with strategies to address the heath needs identified

Communicating with other agencies/organizations in the community to avoid unnecessary overlap in program activities and to identify emerging issues and new resources

Distributing results of the CHA process to the community

Repeating cycle every three years (although some activities will be done yearly while others will be done once every three years)

Stark County Annual Health Improvement Summit

Each year, the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Advisory Committee hosts a Health Summit to share presentations and updates on the progress of the community health needs assessment process. The 2026 Health Improvement Summit was held on June 17 at the Walsh University Barrette Center. Community leaders and individuals with lived experience participated in panel discussions focused on the two priority areas for the 2026–2028 Community Health Improvement Plan: Mental Health and Community Conditions. An additional panel discussion addressed Medicaid services and recent proposed changes, featuring representatives from Buckeye Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, and Stark County Job and Family Services.

Keynote and committee presentations are linked below:
Below are the reports and information for the most recent assessment cycle:
CHIP Evaluation Reports:

County Health Rankings

Stark County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Advisory Meetings

This committee meets the 4th Thursday of every quarter, March-December* at 9 a.m. at the Stark County Health Department. (*this meeting usually is moved to the 3rd Thursday due to the Holiday)
For more information, contact Kay Conley, 330-451-1446

Membership Roster
2023-2025