Population Needs Assessment

Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Cottage Health, along with several other community organizations, partner to improve the well-being of Santa Barbara County residents.

To better understand the needs and strengths of the entire community, the collaborative developed the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment for Santa Barbara County. This report describes the well-being of Santa Barbara County’s residents and selected social determinants of their health, with comparisons to California’s health profile as a whole.

CenCal Health is an active partner in the Santa Barbara County 2024—2025 CHNA development process, including attending planning meetings, participating in Secondary Data, Methodology, and Listening Tour workgroups, assisting with deliverables, and providing data.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CenCal Health and Cottage Health (the organization leading the CHNA development) has been signed to formalize this partnership.

Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)

The County of Santa Barbara Health Department (CHD) and Cottage Health have released the 2024-2027 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a long-term roadmap designed to improve the health and well-being of Santa Barbara County residents. CenCal Health has contributed to prioritization of goals and objectives by attending key stakeholder meetings and providing data as requested. A shared SMART objective between CenCal Health and CHD has been included in the CHIP.

Santa Barbara County LHJ Shared SMART Objective:

By December 31st, 2025, CenCal Health and the County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department will increase the rate of “Well Child Visits in the First 15 months of life” for CenCal Health members in Santa Barbara County from a baseline of 65.39% (period ending 04/30/24) to 68.09% (2023 Quality Compass Medicaid 90th Percentile) by implementing equity focused interventions (that address identified barriers in most need), informed by a robust barrier analysis.

Collaborative activities are currently underway in efforts to achieve this shared SMART objective.

SLO Health Counts is a collaborative of community members, nonprofits, government agencies, cities, schools, and other leaders in SLO County working together toward the shared goal of a healthy, thriving community.

Community Health Assessment (CHA)

The SLO Health Counts collaborative conducts a CHA for SLO County every five years. The findings are intended to inform the community about the top health issues facing the community. The full 2023 report can be found on the SLO Health Counts Website.

Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)

The SLO Health Counts 2024-2029 CHIP acts as a roadmap for how partners will work together to counter preventable health problems and improve community well-being over the long term. To access the report, view the 2024-2029 SLO County Community Health Improvement Plan PDF.

CenCal Health leaders participate in SLO Health Counts Steering Committee and Executive Committee on a regular basis, to ensure participation in CHNA/CHIP discussions at all levels.

CenCal Health has contributed to prioritization of goals and objectives by attending key stakeholder meetings and providing data as requested. A shared SMART objective between CenCal Health and SLO County is included in the CHIP.

San Luis Obispo County LHJ Shared SMART Objective:

By December 31, 2025, CenCal Health and San Luis Obispo County will improve the CenCal Health adolescent depression screening rate by 50%, from a HEDIS MY2022 baseline of 30.56% to 45.84%, by conducting an analysis (a comprehensive report to identify the sub-populations in most need of focus, including stratification by race, age, region, and sex) and using the analysis to inform initiatives such as the creation of communication tools and provider trainings.

San Luis Obispo has integrated this shared objective into the SLO Health Counts Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). CenCal Health has joined the CHIP’s “Health Team,” which focuses on mental health and substance use. This team is composed of key community stakeholders who collaborate to identify and implement effective interventions aligned with the priority area’s goals—including, but not limited to, the shared SMART objective. More information on this and other Health Teams can be found at www.slohealthcounts.org/mentalhealth.