Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2006

Abstract

The 2006 Bexar County Community Health Assessment is a major initiative of The Health Collaborative, a cutting-edge, public-private model for solving community health issues. The mission of the organization is to improve the health status of the community through collaborative means. Partners include the major health systems in San Antonio, the YMCA of Greater San Antonio, Community First Health Plans, Methodist Healthcare Ministries, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, and a community representative. Major health systems represented are Baptist Health System, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care, Methodist Healthcare, and University Health System.

The Health Collaborative began informally in 1997 when several area health care organizations agreed to put aside their competitive business practices to conduct the first community health assessment. The 2006 Bexar County Community Health Assessment is the third in a series of assessments issued every four years. Since the first version was issued in 1998, the assessment has served as a comprehensive report of local health, guiding the community’s efforts toward prevention and health improvement. It is compiled and published as a gift to the community with the understanding that the more the community knows about its health status, the better able the community will be to take collaborative action to improve it.

Major health care systems in the area have used the data to make critical program decisions. Nonprofit organizations throughout the city have found the assessment to be an insightful planning tool, using its data when writing grants and evaluating and developing their programs. Area media also cite the data in covering healthcare issues.

Also, data from the first two assessments led to the development of The Health Collaborative’s Fit City program and the Youth Mental Health Council.

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