New Community Health Needs Assessment identifies key priority areas for community grants

Feb. 3, 2026 -- Reid Health has identified key priority areas for its Community Grant Program, based on findings from its most recent Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), to help address some of the most pressing health needs across Reid's eight-county service area.

Grant funding will focus on two priority areas, and a third will be led by the Reid Community Health team through partnerships that support education and outreach.

Every three years, Reid conducts a CHNA to better understand community health concerns and develop a plan for how to best use Reid's programs and activities to improve local residents' health. The 2025 CHNA was a six-phase process that took nearly a year to complete, with support from Conduent Healthy Communities Institute (HCI).

"The CHNA and implementation strategy reflect a collaborative effort that wouldn't be possible without the dedication of our partners and community members," said Jess Przybysz, Director of Community Health & Engagement.

"It required a significant investment of time and commitment, not only from Reid but from everyone who contributed to the process."

Community input played a vital role in shaping the assessment. Reid gathered feedback from two listening sessions, five focus groups, and a survey offered in English and Spanish. A total of 3,649 people participated, nearly three times more than in the 2022 CHNA survey.

"We went directly into the community to hear from those facing the greatest barriers, asking them to identify the most pressing needs and the challenges they encounter," Przybysz said.

"We took the time to read the survey aloud to vulnerable groups, ensuring their voices were fully included in this process."

Community members then helped narrow the findings into three priority areas: mental health and substance use; wellness and lifestyle (nutrition and obesity); and chronic disease (diabetes, heart disease, and stroke).

For the first time, Reid also adopted Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) as a guiding framework for the assessment and implementation strategy. By addressing root causes of poor health — such as access to nutritious food, safe housing, affordable medications, and timely care — Reid isn't just treating the symptoms but providing improving support for vulnerable populations, including low-income families and rural residents.

"Using a SDOH approach allows us to invest in programs that create sustainable change and support the individuals and communities who need it most," -- Katie Stephen, Community Engagement Specialist for Reid Health.

Once the priority areas were identified, Reid developed a three-year implementation strategy to outline initiatives that could be used to help meet those needs. Key among those is the Community Grant Program, which will distribute $200,000 through a single cycle across two grants.

Applications for the grants— focused on mental health and substance use, and wellness and lifestyle (nutrition and obesity) — will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Feb. 20.

The third priority area — focused on chronic disease (diabetes, heart disease, and stroke) — will be led by the Reid Community Health team through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, community education, and outreach efforts.

Grant requests will be evaluated based on their ability to improve health indicators and reduce barriers identified through the CHNA process, including access, education, poverty, and transportation.

"Our community partners and residents have said over and over too many basic needs are still going unmet," Przybysz said.

"When those foundational needs aren't addressed, meaningful improvements in health simply aren't possible. That's why we chose to take a new, more proactive approach. Addressing barriers is critical in improving health outcomes, and it's time we try something different."

Grant requests must be submitted through the online application form, available at https://www.reidcommunities.org/. Grant awards will be announced in May 2026.

For more information about the CHNA, implementation strategy, or the grant process, go to the Reid Health Community Engagement website or call (765) 935-8824.