Members of the Saint Anne's Hospital Community Benefits Committee, who met on August 6, 2014, had the opportunity to hear a presentation by Partners Executive Director Dr. David Weed on the results of a ten-month Community Needs and Assets Assessment and Action Planning Process and the development of a new health data web site. Community Health Benefits Director Tracy Ibbotson, Social Worker Brittany Lynch, and Committee members Marcia Picard, Kathy Murphy and Dee Wright were part of the Task Forces which began meeting in late September to make recommendations for the 2014-2019 Action Plan for Partners for a Healthier Community. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health designated the Community Health Network Area of Fall River, Somerset, Swansea and Westport as the planning area for these communities. Eight task force groups of between five and twenty people were convened to review the available data on both needs and assets and then to come up with  recommendations for a five-year Action Plan. In the course of developing the data, Saint Anne's Hospital and eight other partners also developed an on-line health data resource. For more information about the process, contact Partners Executive Director David Weed at 508-324-2411. (Photos courtesy of Ana D'Abruzzo)

(Top row)  Saint Anne's Director of Community Health Benefits Tracy Ibbotson, seated under the picture, welcomes the group to their regular meeting at 1010 South Main Street and introduces Dr. Weed, who stands to make the presentation. (Middle row) The presentation included information on the development of 59 Proposed Action Plan Items as well as a brief summary of the HealthDataSouthcoast web site. (Bottom row) Dr. Weed describes the development of the Action Plan and the Web Site and then takes questions from Committee members.