October 2017 | Issue 3 Community Health Needs Assessments in Action COMMUNITY NEGUAC MIRAMICHI About Miramichi Area About Neguac Area 6 The Miramichi area covers a large 14 The Neguac area covers a small geographic area in the northern half of geographic area in the north east New Brunswick and represents a culturally part of New Brunswick. diverse community. Photo: City of Miramichi Photo: Horizon Health Network is CEO Message driven by its mission Shining a spotlight on the exceptional programs and services that New Brunswick communities Helping People are creating is a rewarding experience. In the Be Healthy pages that follow, you will learn about how two of our province’s communities are contributing Good health lies at the heart of to improving the overall health and wellness of our daily quality of life. It is what their populations. all New Brunswickers want for themselves and those they love. As your new CEO, it’s been my priority to Helping New Brunswickers be personally visit all of the vibrant communities as healthy as they can be is the where Horizon operates throughout this beautiful province and learn shared purpose that motivates about each community’s unique advantages and challenges. What I’ve seen all those who work at Horizon on and heard so far has been both educational and encouraging. The passion a daily basis. To achieve the best and commitment exhibited by New Brunswick’s community leaders and results, Horizon puts patients residents in helping people be healthy has played a pivotal role in the and clients at the centre of the development of programs to support both individual and community health. health delivery system. These visits have allowed me to see how our Horizon family is working collaboratively with communities to provide the best health outcomes for Each New Brunswick community everyone. served by Horizon is unique. In this third issue of In Your Community, we’re highlighting the growth Working with key community stemming from the completion of the Community Health Needs partners, clinicians, and other Assessments (CHNAs) in the areas of Miramichi and Neguac. CHNAs help stakeholders, progress has been identify the unique strengths and needs within communities and provide made to identify and address recommendations to improve the health and wellness of their residents. their specific needs. This is an www.HorizonNB.ca intentional effort initiated by The stories you are about to read will undoubtedly inspire you as they have Horizon to significantly improve inspired me. Community strength is at the heart of each and every success community-based primary care, profiled here and will continue to serve as motivation for future health care and support expensive tertiary improvements. services required by Karen McGrath, President and CEO an aging population. Horizon Health Network 2 Helping Children Table of 8 Be Healthy Raising healthy children through education and Contents community engagement Photo: Sheena Dougan Photo: 10 Fresh for Less Serving up healthy food options to families in the Northumberland area Photo: City of Miramichi Photo: City of Miramichi Photo: October 2017 | Issue 3 Community Connections for 12 Seniors Community Health Needs Assessments in Action COMMUNITY Facilitating access to community programs Contributors: Creative lead: • Kristen Crowell • Sheena Dougan and services for seniors • Christy English Cover credits: • Tracey Shipley • Photos submitted by: Sheena Dougan, Resources: City of Miramichi • Jean Daigle • Ginette Pellerin Printing: • Annie Roussel • Taylor Printing • Gabrielle Levesque Group Inc. • Janet Hogan The following documents were used 16 as resources for this publication: • Miramichi Area Community Health Planting the Seeds Needs Assessment of Community! • Neguac Area Community Health Needs Assessment Neguac’s Community Garden provides fresh produce and a sense of belonging to families www.HorizonNB.ca 18 2017 Community Health Recognition Award Winners Recognizing individuals and groups that are making a difference in their community 3 Health care today A well-designed health system With our province’s aging unique needs of the people in each should feature both strong centres of population, southern migration, community. hospital-based care and appropriate and shift from rural to urban The good news is that work is community-based care “close to living, health care as we know it is underway. Horizon Health Network home” for New Brunswick residents. changing. Government and non- (Horizon) is working in partnership It’s a system that would ensure every government organizations and with communities to provide better New Brunswicker has access to the communities alike are looking for preventive, primary, and long-term services they need to be as healthy as ways to deliver care in a way that care to community members, as close they can be. does a better job of meeting the to home as possible. Community Health Needs Assessments Since 2012, Horizon has been address the other 90%. The CHNA Table 1: Determinants of Health working with communities to gain a process provides an opportunity as categorized by the Public Health Agency of Canada better understanding of their health to get everyone around the table care needs using Community Health to look at all areas that are known Needs Assessments (CHNAs). A to impact our health – health 1 Income and Social Status CHNA is a dynamic and ongoing determinants (Table 1). 2 Social Support Networks process that identifies the unique CHNAs help identify priority 3 Education and Literacy strengths and needs of a community. areas in the community that This information provides both need attention and support the Employment and 4 Horizon and the communities with development of action plans to Working Conditions a roadmap to achieving a common address them. This work influences 5 Social Environment goal: to improve the overall health of programming that better serves New Brunswick communities. the population and often supports 6 Physical Environment Have you ever considered how the efforts of primary health care Personal Health Practices 7 housing or access to transportation providers like family physicians, and Coping Skills might affect the health of an nurse practitioners, and pharmacists. Healthy Child individual? You may not know it, 8 Nobody knows a community better Development but measuring community health than the people who live there. This Biology and Genetic goes far beyond studying rates of 9 work to address priority areas is Endowment disease and the availability of health being driven by a local committee care services. Health services account that is passionate about the well- 10 Health Services for only 10% of what influences our being of the community. With 11 Gender health (see pie chart), which is why support from Horizon and other Horizon is working with individuals stakeholders, they are advocating for 12 Culture and agencies at a community level to your health. What influences our health? 40% Health What is primary Behaviours health care? 40% Social & Economic Factors Primary health care refers to an approach to health and a spectrum of services beyond the traditional health care 10% Physical system. It includes all services that play a part in health, Environment such as income, housing, education, and environment. Primary care refers to health promotion, illness and 10% Health injury prevention, and the diagnosis and treatment of 4 Services illness and injury. (Health Canada) 17 Community Common Themes Emerging Health Needs REGIONAL PRIORITY Assessments Awareness of completed to date Food Insecurity Services & System Navigation Social Supports to Transportation Help Individuals Move Out of Poverty Mental Resiliency and Coping Skills Housing Among Children & Youth Collaboration Addictions & with First Nations Mental Health Services Supporting the Alcohol and New Family Reality The province is divided into Drug Use/Abuse 33 unique communities to ensure a better Expansion of Senior Isolation and perspective of regional Sexual Health Lack of Community/ and local differences. Services & Sexual Social Supports for Abuse Treatment/ Seniors Community Health Needs Prevention Assessments have been Senior Home Care completed in 17 of them. Access to Primary and Outreach • Oromocto and Area Health Care Services Services • Fredericton and Surrounding A Shift to More Area Comprehensive, Recreation • St. Stephen, St. Andrews and Team-Based Primary Surrounding Area Health Care • Petitcodiac, Salisbury and Enhanced Surrounding Area More Focus on Collaboration, Chronic Disease Communication & • Saint John Prevention Connectedness • Moncton and Surrounding Area Continual • Grand Lake Area Healthy Eating Community & Physical Activity • Neguac Area Engagement • Miramichi Area • Tantramar Area • Central New Brunswick In your community • Albert County Area Knowing what is happening in your community is important. In the previous • Carleton County Area two issues of In Your Community, Horizon worked with four areas that had completed CHNA’s: the Fredericton and Oromocto Areas and the Saint • Tobique and Perth-Andover Area John and Grand Lake Area. This third issue will profile what is happening • Eastern Charlotte County Area in the Miramichi and Neguac communities. In the pages that follow you will • Nackawic, Harvey, McAdam, get a better understanding of what these areas are doing to build healthier Canterbury Area communities and will showcase specific priorities, challenges, and successes. • Sussex and Surrounding