ISK announces results of the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment for Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

From ISK’s CEO, Jeff Patton:

On behalf of Integrated Services of Kalamazoo, I am excited to announce the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. This is our most comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment to date, which I am confident will provide a strong foundation for deeper understanding, collaborative action, and greater empowerment across the Kalamazoo community as we work together to better meet all of our health needs. (Visit the CHNA page for more information.)

Residents and community leaders in Kalamazoo County are increasingly recognizing the central importance that mental health and behavioral health hold for the overall health of our community.

This CHNA will be a valuable tool for ISK as we work to fulfill our mission, as well as for anyone hoping to improve behavioral health or developmental disabilities care locally. I look forward to collaborating with partners across Kalamazoo to turn these findings into positive action for our community.

Thank you to participants and staff

This achievement would not have been possible without the generous participation of many community stakeholders. I want to thank the over 250 respondents who shared their experiences and perspectives on the local behavioral health and developmental disabilities care system through ISK’s community survey. Community members shared many honest and heartfelt accounts of trauma, seeking care, providing care, and struggling with unmet needs, and this wealth of diverse community wisdom truly formed the foundation for a responsive and relevant CHNA.

Many thanks also to the dozens of ISK staff who participated in ISK’s internal CHNA focus groups, offering their time and subject-matter expertise to bring rich context and deeper understanding to each facet of the community’s needs. A special thanks goes to the ISK CHNA steering team for organizing and leading this effort: Amy Galick (CHNA coordinator), Carlos Brown, Tracey Culpepper, Sheila Hibbs, Dusty Jepkema, Chris Klinske, and Jackie Mitchell.

Thank you,

Jeff Patton