Washtenaw County’s three not-for-profit hospitals team up to address community needs

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Following the completion of a joint Community Health Needs Assessment, or CHNA, the Unified Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan Team Engagement group, better known as UNITE, will invest their community benefit resources to address the most significant health concerns identified in Washtenaw County communities – mental health, access to services and housing. 

UNITE is made up of University of Michigan Health, Trinity Health Ann Arbor and Chelsea Hospital. 

A CHNA is a systematic process involving the community, in which participating hospitals identify and prioritize community health needs every three years. It uses quantitative and qualitative data to understand the assets and needs of a community. 

Within this process, UNITE defines community as Washtenaw County and includes Grass Lake and Stockbridge. This marks the fourth time UNITE has completed a health needs assessment since 2016.

According to the CHNA report, the three most pressing priorities include:

1. Mental Health: Mental Health and substance use disorders continue to be a priority, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Access to Services: Access to services is a key component to achieving health equity. Essential services like health care, public health, social services and public transportation all play a key role in the health and well-being of any community.
3. Housing: Quality affordable housing is out of reach for many individuals within the community.

"By working together, our hospitals gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced in the communities we serve,” said representatives of the hospitals in a joint statement. 

"This collaboration allows us to coordinate our response efforts, leverage our collective resources and make a significant impact on these critical issues. We are not competitors in this space. We come together as partners and caregivers to help support those in need living in our community. We look forward to the next three years, and the transformative work we will accomplish together."

Next, the hospitals are working on an implementation plan to address each identified need by leveraging its resources and partnerships. This involves advocating for policy and system change, awarding community impact grants, focusing on the most vulnerable members of the community and addressing barriers to care, which are social influencers of health.

• Click here to read UNITE’s CHNA report on U-M Health’s website.
• Click here to read UNITE’s CHNA report on Trinity Health’s website. 

This story was adapted from a joint press release.

About UNITE: 

The three non-profit hospitals in Washtenaw County (Chelsea Hospital, Trinity Health Ann Arbor and University of Michigan Health) partnered to conduct a joint Community Health Needs Assessment for the first time in 2016. UNITE exists to promote health and improve the health equity of Washtenaw County communities by developing a unified health assessment and improvement plan. UNITE does this by using a shared leadership structure and a process that continuously engages the community. The Washtenaw County Health Department also sits at the UNITE table as a critical partner in this work.