Board of Health member Tom Massaro presented his peers with a community-health-needs assessment to determine the best practices to improve public, mental, and age- and dementia-friendly health needs in the community during the board’s meeting Tuesday night.
The assessment, titled Marblehead Cares, was assembled by University of Massachusetts Boston’s Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging.
“The proposed needs assessment will serve to inform the Board of Health and other town leaders about unmet health needs in the community and will provide guidance on future steps towards making Marblehead a well-community for all,” the assessment reads. “The proposed scope of work outlined in this document addresses the needs assessment and community-engagement process that will result in the needs-assessment report and associated recommendations for action to ensure that Marblehead is a healthy, accessible, and inclusive place for residents.”
The release also includes a possible best practice for each of the three categories. The public-health category proposes determining the strengths and weaknesses Marblehead has with young children and new mothers. The mental-health category prioritizes strengthening the relationship between health providers and local public and private schools. Age- and dementia-friendly practices focused on potentially raising public awareness and spreading information on fulfillment opportunities for seniors.
Massaro expressed his belief that the board needs to focus on promoting public health, as opposed to its focus on the waste-transfer station.