Hospitals and Public Health Unite to Shape Waukesha County's Future

As Waukesha County prepares for the 2027–2029 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), we're strengthening a process that has guided community health for years.

This year, Waukesha County Public Health and the county's four major health systems have formalized their partnership through the Waukesha County Community Health Collective (WCCHC). While our organizations have collaborated on previous Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans, the Collective represents a deeper commitment to planning, learning, and acting together.

Rather than conducting separate Community Health Assessments, we're coordinating a shared approach to collecting data, engaging residents, interpreting community needs, and identifying at least one shared priority together. This collaborative model allows each organization to contribute its unique expertise while reducing duplication, improving efficiency, and creating a more comprehensive understanding of health across Waukesha County.

The Community Health Collective includes:

• Waukesha County Public Health & Health and Human Services
• Aurora Health Care
• Ascension
• Froedtert ThedaCare
• ProHealth Care

The CHIP creates a shared opportunity for collaboration, inviting partners to work together on common priorities while continuing their own organizational efforts.

The Community Health Assessment Is Well Underway

Over the past several months, thousands of residents have helped shape this year's Community Health Assessment through surveys, conversations, and stakeholder engagement.

The survey reached residents from across Waukesha County and included participants representing a wide range of ages, household incomes, education levels, and life experiences. While no single survey can capture every perspective, the responses provide valuable insight into the issues residents believe matter most.

Early findings show that residents most frequently identified:

• Mental health as the community's highest health concern (56%)
• Substance misuse (34%)
• Nutrition, physical activity, and obesity (30%)
• Chronic disease, including diabetes and heart disease (26%)

When asked about broader community issues that influence health, residents most often identified:

• Access to affordable healthcare (45%)
• Safe and affordable housing (29%)
• Economic stability and employment (17%)
• Affordable childcare (16%)

These results provide an important snapshot, but they don't tell the whole story.

Data Starts the Conversation. People Complete It.

Community health is about much more than numbers. Survey results help identify trends, but they can't explain why residents experience challenges or what solutions may work best in their communities. That's why Community Conversations remain one of the most important parts of the Community Health Assessment.

These facilitated discussions allow residents to add context to the data by sharing their experiences, ideas, and perspectives. Together, survey results and community voices create a more complete picture of health in Waukesha County and help ensure future priorities reflect the needs of the people who live here.

Two Community Conversations Have Availability - Mukwonago and New Berlin

Residents still have two opportunities to participate in this year's Community Conversations. Sign up here: Waukesha County Community Conversation Registration

Working Together for Lasting Impact

The Waukesha County Community Health Collective reflects Public Health's commitment to continuously improving how community health is planned and strengthened.

By working across organizations, listening to residents, and turning information into action, partners are creating a more coordinated and responsive approach to improving health throughout Waukesha County.

This work is guided by a simple belief: lasting improvements happen when communities work together.

If you'd like to help shape the next three years of community health priorities, we invite you to join us in Mukwonago on August 26 or New Berlin on August 31.

Your voice today can help shape a healthier Waukesha County tomorrow.