Essentia Health partners with local groups to identify community health needs and drive improvements in Ada

Essentia Health's mission is to make a healthy difference in people's lives, and that work extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics.

Just like patients, each community has unique needs. To determine priorities, Essentia conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years in each community that is home to one of its 14 hospitals. Town hall meetings, focus groups and surveys are among the ways Essentia collects information on what is important to people and what gaps we can help to address.

Ada is one of the 14 communities surveyed by Essentia.

Our most recent CHNA identified the following needs for the Essentia Health-Ada service area:

• Social drivers of health: Essentia plans to operate a Community Health Worker Program, administer a community resource directory called "Resourceful" and support organizations through a Community Grants program.
• Nutrition and physical activity: Essentia plans to promote healthy eating and active living through community-based initiatives including expanding access to nutrition education, providing opportunities for physical activity and creating partnerships with local organizations to increase resources and support for healthy lifestyle choices.
• Education and Employment: Essentia plans to collaborate with local high schools and higher education institutions to expand access to education, training and economic development opportunities for Norman County residents. Through career exploration workshops, education and skill development and intern and job shadowing opportunities, Essentia Health will help foster local talent and keep young people engaged in the community, helping create a more resilient and self-sustaining local economy.

"Swim scholarships have an impact on our community by offering benefits of health, safety, well-being and economic impact," said Brianna Eggen, Dekko Community Center director. "We are thankful to partner with Essentia to be able to provide these swim scholarships locally to youth in the area. This scholarship not only helps with the financial barrier to community members but also can benefit our local schools in connecting with the community and people where we are located. Learning to swim at a young age can help overcome fears of water and help develop water safety skills. This can also lead to building self-esteem and confidence that will last into adulthood."

For example, after our last CHNA in 2022, we focused on the following priority areas for this service area:

• Youth mental well-being: Essentia promoted youth mental well-being by partnering with local organizations to encourage physical activity and social connection through events like a bike safety rodeo and swim lesson scholarships. These efforts supported safety education, outdoor activity and skill-building for children. Looking ahead, Essentia remains committed to fostering youth development through healthy, community-centered initiatives.
• Access to economic opportunities: Essentia supported local economic opportunity by connecting high school students with career exploration experiences through field trips to area businesses. This initiative helped students better understand local job options and feel more hopeful and engaged about their future. By fostering connections between youth and local employers, Essentia is helping build a stronger, more informed future workforce within the community.
• Resourceful: Resourceful is a publicly available community resource directory, designed to connect individuals with free and reduced-cost services. Since its launch in 2021 more than 4,500 programs have been added to the resource directory and over 32,000 individuals have used the directory. Resourceful has facilitated more than 25,000 referrals to community-based organizations.

"At Essentia, our commitment to the communities we serve is at the heart of everything we do," said Emily Kuenstler, Essentia’s community health director. "We believe that true health care extends far beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics — it's about partnering with local organizations, listening to diverse voices and addressing the unique needs that impact well-being every day. By conducting regular Community Health Needs Assessments and investing in programs that promote nutrition, physical activity and access to resources, we're dedicated to making a lasting, positive difference in people's lives."