Town of Brookline Completes Community Health Assessment and Improvement Planning Process, Looks Toward Implementation

BROOKLINE — Director of Public Health Sigalle Reiss announces that the Brookline Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS) has completed the two-year ARPA-funded Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) process in the Town of Brookline. 

This community-engaged initiative will now enter its implementation phase in collaboration with residents and local partner organizations. The CHA report describes the social, economic, and health-related issues that diverse Brookline residents face, how those issues are currently being addressed, and where there are gaps and opportunities to address these issues in the future. 

The CHA report includes data from national, state, and local surveys, as well as interviews and focus groups with members of the Brookline community. The report is available on the Town’s website and can be used by town agencies and organizations as a compilation of data regarding social and health factors experienced by the Brookline community.

The CHIP process utilized findings from the CHA to prioritize areas for improvement over the next five years. About 40 members of the Brookline community, representing diverse sectors and populations, collaborated to develop the CHIP, beginning with the identification of the following four priority areas for community health improvement:

1. Financial Security
2. Access to Health and Social Services
3. Housing Affordability
4. Mental and Behavioral Health

The goals, objectives, and strategies developed for each of the four priority areas will serve as a roadmap for improving the health and well-being of all Brookline residents.

Racial Equity is a core focus integrated across all priority areas of the CHIP with related strategies embedded to ensure equitable outcomes. This approach aims to address disparities comprehensively and promote equity across all initiatives. Key next steps include expanding food assistance, hiring a Human Services Navigator, supporting tenant legal aid, building a substance use coalition, enhancing parental mental health support, and increasing PACE program awareness.

This living document will guide our efforts to strengthen community resources and access to vital services. The current CHIP is available on the Town’s website.

This CHA-CHIP is the result of considerable effort and collaboration among Brookline’s community-based organizations, governmental boards and commissions, Town departments, and residents – all guided by a Steering Committee. Support and guidance throughout the process were provided by consultants from the Boston-based, national non-profit public health organization, Health Resources in Action (HRiA). 

This extensive and community-engaged process was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds to respond to the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this process was led by the Brookline Department of Public Health & Human Services, its success – and the success of its implementation going forward – relies on the continued engagement of the Brookline community. Local organizations and community groups are urged to consider the ways they can participate in this journey, whether it be advocacy, volunteerism or collaboration.

“This is a community plan, and it will take the community to implement it,” said Director Reiss

Groups can contact the DPHHS for more information. Only through a combined effort can the Town achieve a healthier Brookline for all.

Residents can learn more about the CHA-CHIP on the Health Department’s website: www.brooklinema.gov/health.

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