Letter to Local Health Departments

June 23, 2004

Dear County Health Commissioner/Director of Public Health:

This letter and the accompanying material explain the requirements and methods for submitting the 2005-10 Community Health Assessment (CHA). The CHA will be due on or before November 1, 2004.

Please read over the documents carefully and completely, since they contain information and instructions designed to assist you in completing the CHA.

We are continuing to follow the guidance and format laid down by the Public Health Agenda Committee in its 1997 report. A copy of this guidance has been attached for your reference [Attachment: Document.pdf].

We are also continuing to use the Checklist/Index to outline the content of the CHA [Attachment: CHACklist2005_10.doc]. Please note the addition of a section that outlines specific data requirements for all service areas defined by Article 6. Data related to all optional or optional other program areas must also be included in the CHA. The CHA forms the justification for the activities conducted in the Municipal Public Health Services Plan and any activities undertaken by the LHD, for which reimbursement is sought, must be justified by the data analysis in the CHA. While the CHA does not require data for environmental health programs, if the LHD is performing environmental health programs that are not described in 10NYCRR40-2 or 3 such data should be included in support of those programs.

An added feature to this full, six-year submission, is the addition of a CHA Summary Form [Attachment: 2005-2010CHA Summary Form]. This document was designed by the CHA Work Group to be completed by the LHDs to electronically capture the content of the CHA and allow the Department to analyze and summarize the information. The content, use, and completion of this form will be reviewed in the videoconference. A version for electronic submission will be ready for use by September. A hard copy of the Summary Form should be submitted with your CHA.

Regional videoconferences to orient LHD staff to the format of the CHA and location of data sources will be held during the month of August. An announcement, schedule, and RSVP are attached [Attachments: Announcement.doc, County Schedule.doc, Registration From.doc]. Registrants will be sent the agenda and any additional materials upon receipt of registration. Please ensure that your county attends this training. RSVPs are due by July 30th. Instructions for registering are contained in the announcement.

A CHA will consist of the following required documents:

1. Completed CHA Checklist/Index

2. Completed CHA with all attachments

3. Hard copy of the CHA Summary Form

1. One hard copy

Room 821, Corning Tower, Room 821, Albany, NY 12237

LAM02@health.state.ny.us

2. One hard copy of all required documents to your Article 6 Program Regional Fiscal Contact:

Algerine Gambles - MARO Gary Riviello - CDRO

Donna Cashman - CNYRO Dolores Schumacher - WRO

Please forward this note and its attachments to those individuals responsible for submitting the CHA, so they will have complete instructions and information. Please call if you have any questions. Thank you.

Marie D. Miller, M.S.

Deputy Director

Office of Local Health Services

P: 518-473-4223 F: 518-473-8714