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Assessment and Planning
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The Public Health and Environment (PHE) department assesses the health of the people living in the county along with environmental conditions. The assessments are done in collaboration with residents, community organizations, and policy makers. In general, the assessment process includes the following steps:
- Collect and analyze data about conditions of public health and/or environmental importance, including resident input.
- Identify important public health and environmental concerns impacting the county.
- Recommend what should be done to address the concerns.
- Share the findings with the public.
Completed assessments and plans
The assessment process leads to the creation of detailed plans that outline the actions Washington County or other organizations will take to address the identified goals and challenges.
At least every five years, local health departments are tasked with conducting a health assessment of their residents. In reality, Washington County and our partners are continuously gathering data to inform the programs and services we provide. When conducted, our community health assessment tells the story, at a point in time, of the different factors impacting the health of residents in Washington County.
The story of our county's health is not just the presence or absence of disease or injury. Our health includes how different conditions allow us to live healthy lives (e.g., where we live, how we get to places, the quality of the air we breathe). This assessment weaves together data from different sources across the county, metro, and state so we can understand the different factors impacting our health.
Our community status report and community context assessment (below) are components of our 2024 community health assessment, providing a summary of current health and community concerns.
Community Status Report
- 2024 Community Status Report (English) (PDF).
- 2024 Community Status Report (Hmong) (PDF).
- 2024 Community Status Report (Somali) (PDF).
- 2024 Community Status Report (Spanish) (PDF).
- Heath Data Profiles.
Community Context Assessment
Community Partner Assessment
Past Planning Documents
The Washington County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is a long-term, systematic effort to address public health priorities identified during our community health assessment and improvement processes. The CHIP is used by PHE along with our community partners to set priorities, coordinate resources, develop policies, and define actions to target efforts that protect and promote health.
Community health improvement planning is a foundational practice of public health as well as a national standard for all public health departments. Since the passage of the Local Public Health Act in 1976, Minnesota local health departments have been required to engage in a community health improvement process, beginning with a Community Health Assessment.
Past planning documents
Washington County Groundwater Plan
Groundwater provides 100% of drinking water for Washington County residents. For many years, the county has provided leadership on groundwater issues. The department of Public Health and Environment coordinates the county’s efforts in groundwater management and protection, through the 2025-2035 Washington County Groundwater Plan (PDF).
- The plan is a comprehensive document that lays out the technical framework, issues, goals, strategies, and actions to address existing and future groundwater related problems.
- The plan focuses on actions to address groundwater quality, groundwater quantity, education, and governance.
- The county regularly works with local, regional, and state partners on groundwater issues.
Washington County Waste Management Plan
In October 2024, the Washington County Board of Commissioners adopted the Washington County Waste Management Plan 2024-2042 (PDF) and will submit the plan to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for approval. The county’s Solid Waste Management Plan is updated every six years to guide waste management activities while establishing waste projections for the next 18 years. The plan is also developed in conjunction with a Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.