community health network areas (CHNAs)
A Community Health Network Area (CHNA) is a coalition made up of representatives from public, non-profit, and private sectors. CHNA members work to build healthier communities through community-based prevention planning and health promotion. The MA Department of Public Health Office of Healthy Communities directs the CHNA initiative, which was established in 1992; there are 27 CHNAs (involving 351 towns and cities) across Massachusetts. Each CHNA is identified by a number (1-27), and covers specific towns within a geographic area.
The Regional Center for Healthy Communities (Metrowest) supports the Community Health Care Coaltion of Metrowest (formerly CHNA 7), CHNA 15, CHNA 17, CHNA 18, and the Blue Hills Community Health Network Area (CHNA 20) .
CHNAs:
- are committed to improving the health of their communities
- track area health indicators and work to eliminate identified disparities
- several CHNAs provide mini-grants for projects related to fostering healthier communities (see mini-grant process guide below)
- are community and resident based and are inclusive of key stakeholders (residents, consumers, coalitions, communities of faith, local and state governments, businesses and community-based health, education, and human service providers)
- strive to reflect age, racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and linguistic diversity of their communities
- work in partnership with the MA Department of Public Health
For more information on CHNAs, please visit the Office of Healthy Communities website by clicking here.
participation
Membership is open to anyone interested in working to improve the health and well-being of residents and their communities. CHNA members gain knowledge about a range of health-related issues; participate in designing and implementing health improvement projects and work with others to enrich communities; advocate for health issues that are important to their communities; network and share ideas with people with interest in building healthier communities. To learn how you can become involved in your CHNA, contact the appropriate coordinator (listed below) or call the Regional Center for Healthy Communities
RCHC support for CHNAs
The RCHC works to build and maintain the leadership capacity of CHNAs. We will deliver a variety of skill building opportunities for CHNA leadership and members in the following ways:
- Leadership development: visioning, decision making models, communication flow
- Partnership development: recruitment, retention, inclusive processes, media relations
- Youth development: fostering youth membership, running youth-friendly meetings, sharing asset-based models
- Peer learning and networking opportunities: the RCHC convenes CHNA leadership from across the region quarterly in order to facilitate networking and collaboration among them
Community Health Network Area Mini-grant Process Guide
This guide has been developed for CHNA coordinators and members. It is intended to provide a framework for moving through the process of issuing mini-grants to fund community health initiatives, and includes examples of relevant documents that have been developed by CHNAs in the Metrowest region. Thank you to the CHNA representatives who have shared their materials.
CHNA Minigrant Process Guide (Word Document)
CHNA Minigrant Process Guide (PDF Document)