2016 Harrisonburg/Rockingham Healthy Community Council Community Assessment

Every five years, the Healthy Community Council conducts a community assessment to help evaluate health in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, set priorities for action, and assist community agencies in getting the data they need to improve community health. 

Prioritizing Vulnerable Populations

Approximately 300 residents and community agency staff and clients were asked for their perspectives on personal health, community health, and quality of life in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. From these perspectives, the Health Community Council identified the strengths and challenges of the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County communities and was able to prioritize community health and quality of life improvements.

Prioritizing the social determinants of health

Around the world, studies show that health is most affected by the 10 Social Determinants of Health. To prioritize evidence-based data on the most important contributors to health, the HCC researched and summarized the literature in the U.S., developing local implications for each of the social determinants in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

THE 10 SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Prioritizing Health

In 2021, Sentara RMH performed a Community Health Needs Assessment, reflecting the community's health from a healthcare perspective. The Healthy Community Collaborative had the opportunity to contribute to survey questions and stakeholder priorities, reflecting an important collaborative partnership for community health planning.

Prioritizing collaborative opportunities

Like the 10 Social Determinants of Health, Healthy People 2020 identifies economic and social challenges that affect health. Harrisonburg and Rockingham County have a wealth of agencies, organizations, and resources for collaborating to address each. The Healthy Community Collaborative, in partnership with James Madison University's rural health students and faculty, developed an exhaustive Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community profile to identify common resources, collaborative partners, and community service gaps to address quality of life and health of our community.

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Community Health Data

In addition, residents and agencies can find a wealth of supporting data to understand, track, and prioritize Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community health:
The County Health Rankings
Sentara RMH Community Health Needs Assessment