The Innisfil Healthy Community Assessment A Town of Innisfil – York University School of Nursing Partnership
January, 2012 The Town of Innisfil is under-served in terms of health care services and providers and little is known about the social-environmental factors that have an impact on the health of this community. In order to identify the key determinants of health and address gaps in health service provision, a community health assessment is not only necessary but prudent. As such, the Town of Innisfil has embarked on an innovative project in partnership with York University’s School of Nursing (SON) to undertake a Healthy Community Assessment with residents of Innisfil. Community assessment is a process of gathering, analyzing and reporting information about the health needs of a community and the capacities or strengths that are currently available in the community to meet those needs. This assessment is meant to be all encompassing and part of a complex process of identifying and responding to health problems, needs and issues affecting the residents. It is important to engage community members in the assessment process, focusing not only on needs but on identifying and building on community strengths, such as the level of volunteerism or informal social supports. As such, empowerment, promoting critical thinking and raising consciousness for social
change are inherent themes of the assessment process. Student nurses, faculty and research assistants from York University’s School of Nursing will undertake this assessment under the coordination of Grace Ross, a lecturer in the School of Nursing’s Community as Partner course. Initially nursing students will interview area residents and agencies to collect qualitative data. This will include the collection of community stories about quality of life and what supports healthy living as well as identifying the numerous capacities and strengths of the community. Concurrently the SON, with the support of the Town of Innisfil will collect data that includes community demographics (such as age, language and ethnic background), accessibility and usage of health services and an inventory of health care-related services available within the community. The final report will provide the Town with the necessary information to make informed decisions on next steps to improve the range, access and quality of health care in the community
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