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The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is a new
federal requirement for private, non-profit hospitals.
Part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(ACA), the Community Health Needs Assessment is additional criteria for
hospitals to maintain their tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) status. This requirement
applies for tax years beginning after March 23, 2012. The pertinent language
from the law can be found here: [PDF].
A hospital must complete a CHNA at least every three years
with input from the broader community, including public health experts.
Hospitals are then asked to describe how they are addressing needs identified in
the community health needs assessment as well as identify any needs not being
addressed and explain why not. CHNAs must be made widely available, including
through information on form 990s.
 Many questions remain about CHNAs and
how they will be implemented. In the meantime, the Minnesota Hospital
Association is providing our members with a resource catalog that contains links to helpful information on
community health needs assessments and resources for existing public health data
that MHA members can use in their CHNA. Please check back on a regular basis, as
we will be adding new information as it comes in.
MHA staff is also available to offer assistance. Please
contact Matt Anderson
at (651) 659-1421 or Jen McNertney
at (651) 659-1405 with questions.
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