Missoula Public Health, Partners to Survey Residents in October for Community Health Assessment

Residents across Missoula County may receive a knock on their door in mid-October with a request to take a short survey that will help Missoula Public Health and other partners determine the most critical local health needs and priorities. 

The door-knocking effort is part of MPH's process to update the Community Health Assessment, a document compiled every few years to provide a clear, reliable picture of local health issues and needs of individuals and communities. MPH is collaborating with All Nations Health Center, Community Medical Center, Partnership Health Center, Providence St. Patrick Hospital and the University of Montana to update the assessment for 2026.

Staff and volunteers will knock on doors Tuesday through Friday, Oct. 13-16, in Missoula, Seeley Lake, Frenchtown, Condon, Milltown, Clinton, Turah and Lolo. Residents can opt to participate in the survey, which should take around 15 to 20 minutes. Community members interested in volunteering can find more information and sign up at http://missoula.co/chavolunteer. Volunteers must be 18 or older.

"Hearing directly from people who live in our communities is a key step to determine what health issues affect our residents most, what challenges folks face when trying to access resources and if there are any overlooked needs," said Chief Health Officer Jeanna Miller. "By answering your door and taking the survey, you're helping MPH and local healthcare organizations identify where we can have the greatest impact and work collectively toward solutions."

Completing a thorough Community Health Assessment allows MPH and healthcare partners to more effectively secure funding, allocate resources and plan strategically. For example, previous versions of the assessment that identified substance use disorder as a priority then helped MPH secure opioid abatement funding and prompted Community Medical Center to open a hospital-based acute withdrawal management service. The assessment is also a key component of the process for MPH to maintain national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board. 

In addition to the surveys, the Community Health Assessment includes review and analysis of MPH, state and federal public health data. MPH hopes to have a draft report available for public review in the next few months. More information about MPH's health priorities and data is available online at https://missoulapublichealth.org/communities/health-priorities-data/.

More information on the Community Health Assessment is available on missoulacountyvoice.com.