Community Benefit & Health Improvement
Across the State, NH Hospitals are leading efforts to create healthier communities in NH- providing outreach and support services to increase access to care, financial assistance to the uninsured, initiatives to address substance use disorder and behavioral health, education programs, and many more.
Additionally, with a focus on total population health, hospitals are expanding their community benefit strategies and aligning their community benefit investments with broader community health initiatives that address the social drivers of health including those focused on food insecurity, transportation and housing needs.
The FHC provides technical assistance and coordinates a quarterly meeting of community benefit/health improvement professionals from NH hospitals to share best practices, tools, and resources, as well as to identify ways they can work collectively to improve the health of NH communities.
For more information, please contact: Beth Gustafson Wheeler at (603) 415-4278.
Hospitals work tirelessly to care for their patients and their communities. Each year, the Foundation for Healthy Communities produces a Community Benefits Report highlighting the extraordinary impact hospitals make in New Hampshire. Click below to read more!
Community Benefit is the legal term that refers to the broad spectrum of charitable activities and investments that non-profit hospitals undertake to improve health in the communities they serve. As part of their community benefit strategy, these charitable programs, initiatives and resources are in direct alignment with their organizational mission to provide high quality healthcare and advance the health and well-being of their community.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (adapted from World Health Organization).
Well-being includes the presence of positive emotions and moods (e.g., contentment, happiness), the absence of negative emotions (e.g., depression, anxiety), satisfaction with life, fulfillment and positive functioning (Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/hrqol/wellbeing.htm).
NH’s non-profit hospitals are required by both the State and Federal governments to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment every 5 and 3 years, respectively, and utilize the results to guide the development of a plan outlining how they will address the priority needs of the community.
State Requirements:
- Community Health Needs Assessment: Every 5 years (RSA 7:32-f); needs identified made publicly available.
- Implementation Plan: Based on priority needs identified in most recent CHNA. Reported on annually.
- Community Benefits Reporting: Annually to the State of NH Office of the Attorney General, Charitable Trusts Unit using the NH Community Benefits Reporting Form (RSA 7:32c-I). Report made publicly available.
Federal Requirements:
- Community Health Needs Assessment: Every 3 years (Section 9007, IRS Code 501r); needs identified made widely available.
- Implementation Plan: Based on priority needs, identified in most recent CHNA.
- Community Benefits Reporting: Annually to the US Department of Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) using Form 990-Schedule H; Report made widely available.
FHC Community Benefit Communication Resources
Other Community Benefit and Health Improvement Resources
- State of NH Charitable Trust Unit (Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Catholic Health Association- Community Benefit Resources
- AHA Community Health Improvement (ACHI) Community Health Assessment Toolkit
- NH DHHS Data Portal
- County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
- Healthy People 2030
