Final Report

Our Process

Managing the Process from Start to Finish

Our role in the CHNA was comprehensive. We designed, facilitated, and executed every step of the qualitative research process, including:

• Planning Calls & Strategy Development: We led all planning discussions with seven regional healthcare partners, aligning diverse stakeholders across Oregon and Washington.

• Listening Session Design: Collaborate Consulting crafted facilitation guides that honored intersectional social justice principles, ensuring that sessions centered systemically non-dominant communities.

• Facilitator Recruitment & Training: We sourced and trained facilitators—including Spanish-language facilitators—to meet the unique needs of each community. Our sessions took place at homeless shelters, senior centers, in-person and online, and with groups like queer youth, Indigenous communities, Spanish-speaking residents, and rural elders.

Amplifying Marginalized Voices

We led eight in-person listening sessions in rural communities in Oregon and Washington, along with 21 stakeholder interviews, gathering vital insights from groups often excluded from traditional assessments:

• LGBTQIA+ individuals

• People experiencing homelessness

• Monolingual Spanish-speaking families

• Rural seniors and individuals with disabilities

• Native and Indigenous communities

By meeting people where they are—literally and figuratively—we ensured that the lived experiences of marginalized residents shaped the assessment findings and recommendations.

Bringing Data to Life

Our team didn’t stop at collecting stories—we analyzed, synthesized, and elevated them:

• Survey Development & Interpretation: We collaborated with the data team to design a bilingual (English/Spanish) community health survey, resulting in 1,279 responses. We then interpreted this data through an equity lens, ensuring quantitative findings were paired with community narratives.

• Qualitative Coding & Analysis: Collaborate Consulting coded all stakeholder interviews and listening sessions, identifying key themes such as housing instability, behavioral health crises, economic insecurity, and food access. Our rigorous process highlighted systemic inequities, underscoring the intersecting challenges rural residents face.

Delivering Actionable Insights

We authored the final CHNA report, a comprehensive, equity-centered roadmap for health systems, nonprofits, and public agencies across the Columbia Gorge. The report:

• Outlined clear findings and prioritized needs (housing, behavioral health, economic security)

• Included community-driven recommendations aligned with health equity frameworks

• Provided a foundation for Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs) across the region

Why It Matters

The Columbia Gorge CHNA was more than a regulatory requirement—it was a catalyst for change. By centering rural, marginalized voices and weaving together quantitative data with community stories, Collaborate Consulting helped local health systems align their strategies, investments, and partnerships with the real needs of the people they serve.

This is what we do at Collaborate Consulting. We bring data and equity together to create powerful change in communities across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.