New Nevada Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy from Intermountain Health Released

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Intermountain Health Unveils New Nevada Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy to Enhance Health of Residents

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LAS VEGAS, April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and the Community Health Implementation Strategies (CHIS) for Nevada from Intermountain Health identifies where the greatest healthcare needs for the communities and the actions that must be taken to enhance community health. 

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Intermountain Health has published its new Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and the Community Health Implementation Strategies (CHIS) for Nevada, identifying where the greatest healthcare needs for the communities and the actions that must be taken to enhance community health. 

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The new assessment report found the most significant health needs in Clark County are: improvement in access to behavioral health care, invest in social drivers (such as housing, food, and safety), increase access to care, and preventing childhood injury and illness.

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“These assessments are a data-driven process to help us prioritize health needs and then take action” said Lisa Nichols, vice president of community health at Intermountain Health. “By combining data with personal insight, we can focus our efforts where Intermountain Health can make the biggest impact on community health, we call these significant health needs.”

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There is also a strong focus on early childhood health. Efforts such as screenings at well-child checks, immunizations, and safe sleep education help families protect their infants and prevent possible tragedies. This work also includes preventing abuse and neglect among children in our neighborhoods and communities.

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The action plan also includes strengthening local coalitions and advocacy groups to help reach as many as possible. 

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“In Nevada, the data consistently points to behavioral health as a shared challenge across communities,” said Will Rucker, director of community health in Nevada at Intermountain Health. “We’re working to address this challenge through a more upstream approach by strengthening the conditions that shape well-being before a crisis occurs. That means building trust, increasing access through community-based collaborations, and increasing the capacity of community members, such as educators and other trusted adults, to recognize the signs and connect people to the right support at the right time.”

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In southern Nevada communities, the report found that expanding behavioral health resources and strengthening suicide prevention efforts are vital. Action includes improving safety, including increasing access to safe firearm storage through gun locks and family education. 

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Early childhood health remains a key priority in Nevada. Efforts are centered on prevention, strengthening protective factors, and delivering culturally relevant injury prevention education to help adopt safe practices.