Cancer, heart disease and
stroke along with mental
health, exercise, nutrition and
weight (including obesity)
once again topped the list of
health concerns for Calvert
County residents as reported
in the 2020 Community Health
Needs Assessment (CHNA),
according to Erin Farley, MSN,
RN, who manages community
wellness at CalvertHealth.
CalvertHealth conducts the needs assessment every three years to identify
the most pressing health needs in the community. The findings help the
organization prioritize health care strategies to address the most pressing
needs for our community. Farley stressed that special attention is given to the
needs of vulnerable populations and unmet health needs or gaps in service.
“The survey gives us insight into the areas where we and our community
partners need to focus our resources to make the most meaningful impact,”
said Farley.
To prepare the 2020 Community Health Needs Assessment, CalvertHealth
gathered data on demographics, health outcomes, health behaviors, social
and environmental conditions as well as key community leader interviews
and feedback from community surveys.
Even though the county was in the midst of dealing with the COVID
pandemic while the survey was being conducted, Farley said they received
nearly 800 responses, representative of the overall demographics of
Calvert County.
She went on to add, “We’re already working on our implementation
strategy to address the priorities identified. The plan will include clear goals
that can be monitored, reported on and revised over the next
three-year period.”
Making Progress On Priorities
Equally important,” said Farley, “is ongoing evaluation of our
progress from our last assessment in 2017.” Highlights are
listed below and are also included in the most recent 2020
Community Health Needs Assessment.
Cancer – To improve early detection of cancer
and help reduce the prevalence of cancer in
the community, an emphasis was placed on
education and screenings for skin, breast, lung
and oral cancers. Several events were held throughout the
county, which drew more than 700 community members.
Heart Disease & Stroke – CalvertHealth focused
on educating the community in understanding
what contributes to heart disease and stroke.
In collaboration with local senior centers, an
Ask-the- Expert program was implemented, bringing weekly health
education services. Additionally, the Senior Life Center was started
in three senior centers, focusing on chronic disease management and
healthy lifestyle changes.
Mental Health – In early 2019,
CalvertHealth Medical Center launched
a $5.2-million renovation to its
behavioral health unit. When complete,
it will be the largest mental health center in
Southern Maryland.
Exercise, Nutrition & Weight – Several
programs were developed to increase
the importance of healthy eating to
reduce the onset of diseases. These
programs focused on strategies for weight loss
and increasing physical activity among participants
and will be an important component within the 2020
action plan objectives.
Mobile Health Center Extends Outreach
“Our mobile health center gives county residents easy
access to the health care they need by meeting people
where they are,” said Farley. Since 2016, the mobile
health center has traveled thousands of miles to visit
hundreds of stops from farmer’s markets and senior
centers to food pantries and Head Start programs.
CalvertHealth’s Mobile Health Center is
helping to address the lack of transportation which
was identified as an obstacle for some residents
seeking care.
According to Farley, the mobile health center
is part of a broader effort where the long-term
strategy is to provide people with the resources
they need – like regular screenings – so they can
take action to prevent chronic disease.
She said the mobile health center has also
played a critical role by scheduling appointments
for follow-up care, filling out paperwork for
insurance and researching payment options.
“A big part of what we do is patient education
and empowerment,” said Farley. “Many of the
people we see
are just feeling
overwhelmed and
don’t know how
to navigate the
healthcare system.
“Our goal is to
help you figure out
your individual path
to wellness,” she
said, “and to help
you overcome any
barriers to get the
care you need.”