Regional health survey to launch May 6 as part of community health needs assessment

Charles River shared services staff described plans to launch a community health needs assessment survey on May 6, with a tentative four‑week response window and an aspirational target of roughly 300–380 responses per town. The survey is uniform across the four towns so the pooled results can be used for regional grant applications and service planning.

Why it matters: Staff said comparable data across member towns will strengthen applications for foundation or state funding and help the shared service partners decide on a service area focus (for example, maternal‑child health or chronic disease prevention). The consultant BME is conducting outreach and will help enlist local ambassadors to increase response rates.

Staff explained steps to protect respondents and accommodate people who cannot use QR codes: paper copies will be available at a small number of secure locations (two in Needham was discussed as an example), and BME will draft a plan for how paper responses are stored and processed. The team will monitor response rate and may extend the window if needed; staff emphasized contract and fiscal time limits for completing deliverables by the end of the funding year.

Next steps: Staff will distribute promotional materials (a flyer with a QR code) and a larger spreadsheet of draft timelines and outreach locations. Town officials are expected to publicize the survey in libraries, senior centers, athletic fields and other gathering places to reach diverse residents.