May 17, 2021

Contact: Achieve Healthy EscaRosa
healthyescarosa@gmail.com

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Achieve Healthy EscaRosa (AHER) in concert with the Haas Center at the University of West Florida (UWF) has developed a survey to identify and understand the health needs of residents in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. This survey, found at uwf.edu/residentCHNA, is open nowuntil June 18.

The survey is anonymous and is being distributed and analyzed by data specialists at the Haas Center. The results of this survey will be incorporated into the AHER Community Health Needs Assessment, which is used to allocate resources to meet the most pressing health and social services needs of residents. This health assessment will be published online in early January 2022.

“2021 is a critical year for our community,” said Jennifer Grove, VP external relations for Baptist Health Care and chair of AHER. “After facing a pandemic that has challenged our entire community and brought awareness to the inequities faced by specific populations in our community, it is our time to move the needle forward with health equity at the center.”

AHER and the Haas Center are asking for residents to participate in the community resident survey that will:

• Help identify the community’s strengths and challenges in terms of health
• Help create a blueprint for improving the health of both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties
• Help community organizations and local government agencies make decisions on where to spend resources for maximum impact 

This assessment will provide data on the health status, themes and strengths of the community and will highlight forces that can impact or promote health. By completing the survey, residents will help to identify priority health outcomes for Achieve Healthy EscaRosa organizations to collectively focus on. 

“As health care providers, we recognize that we must work together to meet the needs of our community,” said Adrienne Maygarden, service line director, women's and children's, at Ascension Sacred Heart and vice-chair of AHER. “The Community Health Needs Assessment allows us to hear directly from members of our community about what they need most, but we must also demonstrate that we are listening by providing our patients with the care they need, when and where they need it. We look forward to our collaborative work to make this a better, healthier place for all people.

About Achieve Healthy EscaRosa

Achieve Healthy EscaRosa, an evolution of the former Live Well Partnership, is a collective impact effort whose Mission is to unite and align resources to improve the health and well-being of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties so that everyone can live well and thrive. Funded by partner donations and with University of West Florida serving as the backbone convener, AHER brings together health providers, health departments, the United Way of West Florida and many other non-profit organizations seeking to improve health in our community.

This year, AHER is focused on building a health equity online data dashboard in partnership with Achieve Escambia and the Haas Center as well as completing the every-three-years Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA.)

CHNA Partners

• Ascension Sacred Heart
• Baptist Health Care
• Community Health Northwest Florida
• Florida Department of Health
• Haas Center at UWF
• Healthy Start
• United Way West Florida
• University of West Florida’s Usha Kundu College of Health.