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

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.

Moose Lake is one of the 14 communities surveyed by Essentia. 

Our most recent CHNA identified the following needs for the Essentia Health-Moose Lake 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 movement: Essentia plans to partner with area school districts on nutrition education programs and to support enhancements to the City of Moose Lake’s Roy Peterson Memorial Park.
• Education: Essentia plans to encourage high school completion and post-secondary education options through supporting Moose Lake School District’s high school career mentorship program and by promoting healthcare-related education and career opportunities.

“Barnum, Moose Lake and Willow River high schools chose to partner with Essentia because the administrative team and employees at Essentia have consistently been supportive of our local schools,” said Beth Sandstrom, South Polar Pathways mentorship coordinator. “With the expanded funding, we can bring in more speakers to give our students a broader perspective on the jobs and careers available in our area. By exposing students to a variety of mentors, they gain perspective that they may not have otherwise received.”

The key to gathering accurate data is to get input from a wide range of community members, particularly those who are medically underserved and those in minority groups. The information helps health systems decide how to make the greatest impact and which areas to focus on.

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

• Mental and social well-being: In recent years, Essentia has promoted mental and social well-being through partnerships focused on education and nature-based initiatives. Efforts included a mindfulness series with Dr. Melissa Anderson, support for outdoor learning spaces at Moose Lake Schools and mental health education in collaboration with the Moose Lake Kiwanis Club. These initiatives enhanced student access to mental well-being resources and improved understanding of self-care practices.
• Food security: Essentia has actively addressed food security through partnerships and community engagement. Efforts included supporting SNAP outreach, evaluating a fully utilized community garden and participating in discussions on food access. Additionally, Essentia backed several local events aimed at reducing food insecurity.
• 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."