CommunityReport Card

A Collaborative Community Project

City of DanburyDanbury Hospital

United Way of Western ConnecticutWestern Connecticut State University

www.wcsu.edu/reportcard

Community Report Card

What is a Community Report Card?

A document which presents views on how a community is doing

Topics vary by community and can vary over time

Certain issues/indicators, are selected as important measures of a community’s well-being

Community Report Card

What will Our Community Report Card Include?

Phase 1 will focus on health related indicators in ten towns

Bethel

Bridgewater

Brookfield

Danbury

New Fairfield

Our Report Card will be available in print and online

New Milford

Newtown

Redding

Ridgefield

Sherman

Community Report Card

What are the benefits?

Increases everyone’s awareness about their community

Engages and motivates people and agencies

Feedback will provide us with a better understanding of community perceptions of local problems

Community Report Card

What are the benefits?

Learning what the public doesn’t know will help us target health education and awareness efforts

Identifies what we don’t know and what issues need to be worked on

Encourages joint planning and problem solving

Support for grant writing and responding to funding opportunities

Community Report Card

Who were the pioneers?

Tim Baughman & Elizabeth Goehring, United Way of Western Connecticut

Andrea Rynn, Danbury Hospital

Scott LeRoy, Danbury Health Department

James Schmotter, President WCSU

Community Report Card

The Steering CommitteeCo-Chair:

Linda Rinker Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, WCSU

Co-Chair:

Andrea Rynn Director, Public and Government Relations, Danbury Hospital

Ellen Durnin Dean, Graduate Studies and External Relations, WCSU

Karen Daley Associate Professor of Nursing, WCSU

Neil Dworkin Associate Professor of Management, WCSU

Elizabeth Goehring Executive Vice President, United Way of Western Connecticut

Robyn Housemann Assistant Professor of Health Promotion & Exercise Sciences, WCSU

Chris Kukk Associate Professor of Social Sciences, WCSU

Scott LeRoy Director of Public Health, City of Danbury

Shane Murphy Assistant Professor of Psychology, WCSU

Marie O’Neill Senior Vice President, Retail Banking, Marketing and Sales, Union Savings Bank

June Renzulli CEO, United Way of Western Connecticut

Marjorie Steinberg Associate Professor of Social Work, WCSU

Community Report Card

The Steering Committee

Review existing Community Report Cards

Prepare preliminary list of indicators

Meet with stakeholders for feedback on indicators

Determine which indicators would best measure our well-being

Focus on health related issues during Phase 1

Compile additional indicators that could be added at a later date

Expand the scope of the Report Card in the future

Community Report Card

The Indicators

Access to Health Insurance

Child Abuse

Diseases

Education

Emergency Room Visits

Health & Lifestyle

Mental Health

Poverty

Pregnancy

Suicide

37 indicators have been selected in the areas of:

Community Report Card

The Links

A link to Prevent Child Abuse CT to get help on questions, issues and reporting child abuse

A link to the Housatonic Valley of Elected Officials website for demographic and affordable housing statistics

Additionally, the report card will provide links to further information on the indicators as well as links to information not covered by the indicators. For example:

Community Report Card

The Future

Public Safety

Recreation and Culture

Environment

Community Involvement

Finally, future phases of the report card will incorporate additional indicators. Examples include:

At each new phase of the report card stakeholders will provide feedback on indicators to incorporate.

Community Report Card

Collecting and Organizing the Data

Create a project plan

Determine availability of the data on the indicators for the ten towns

Acquire data and compile into the final product

Have both print and online version of Report Card available in May 2008

hired two Graduate Assistants to:

Community Report Card

The BudgetItem

Estimated Cost

Funds Received

Funds Needed

Personnel—Research, Writing and Web

$19,200 $10,000 $9,200

Personnel, Staff Support and Editorial Review

$1,280 In Kind $0

Printing/Binding $3,000 In Kind $0

Marketing $2,000 $0 $2000

Total $25,480 $10,000 $11,200

Personnel: Two graduate assistants shall conduct research and write the Community Report Card and

one faculty member shall provide direction for the students. Staff support and editorial review, approximately 40 hours at $32.00 per hour.

Printing and Binding: 1,000 copies of a 32 page booklet (full color cover, two color pages inside).

Marketing and Press Conference: Press release, invitations to a reception/press conference and refreshments.

Community Report Card

Our Funders….Making a difference in our communities. Thank you for supporting this health initiative!

Boehringer Ingelheim

Danbury Hospital

Fairfield County Bank

Fairfield County Community Foundation

Savings Bank of Danbury

Union Savings Bank

United Way of Western Connecticut

Western Connecticut State University

Community Report Card

Feedback

The data secured on the indicators will be shared with stakeholders before it is published