News

Haldimand-Norfolk Health and Social Services is inviting residents of the two counties to participate in a community needs assessment survey to evaluate if the health and social services needs of local residents have changed since the beginning of the pandemic and if these needs are being met.

A community needs assessment was last conducted in 2019, just prior to the beginning of the pandemic. It is recognized that many things have changed over the past three years, which made it necessary to repeat the survey. Community leaders will use the findings from this assessment to monitor trends, determine priorities, and develop strategies that will have a positive impact on the health of the communities.

“Creating a healthier, more vibrant community does not happen in a vacuum,” said Dr. Kate Bishop-Williams, project lead and epidemiologist with the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit. “It requires collaboration, determination, and information, and the process starts with the residents of our community.”

Questions included in the survey cover a wide range of topics, including respondents’ ability to access social services and healthcare, their eating and exercise habits, family make-up, housing situation, and more.

“We hope to gather responses from as large of a representation of our community as possible. Analyzing data from a robust number of voices results in a stronger understanding of community issues and concerns,” said Bishop-Williams. “This data really helps inform the identification of strategic health issues, point to priority populations, and suggest potential strategies to address problems.”

The survey takes about 15 minutes and can be completed online at www.hnhu.org/CNASurvey. Respondents may request the survey over the phone by calling 519-426-6170 or 905-318-6623. Paper copies of the survey will also be available at all Haldimand-Norfolk Health and Social Services buildings and at public library branches in the two counties.

The survey will be open until July 31, 2022. Respondents will have the option to be entered into a draw for one of three $50 gift cards to a local grocery store. Focus groups and interviews with community members and local agencies and stakeholders will be occurring simultaneously with the public survey to help provide additional feedback.

“The assessment is like a GPS system guiding us on how to improve the health and wellness of all of Haldimand and Norfolk — but we need the community’s help in determining which direction to go. That’s why I encourage residents to assist us by taking a few minutes to complete the survey,” said Syed Shah, acting director for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit. “Gathering the community’s perspective of health issues, and the local social services experience is essential to fully understand our community’s health and quality of life.”The survey responses are gathered anonymously, protecting the privacy of respondents.

The information collected through the survey will be compiled and released following a report to the Board of Health. No individual information or names will be included in the survey report.