Monterey County Community Health Needs Assessment Released

The Monterey County Health Needs Collaborative has released the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), a comprehensive assessment of population health and health needs in Monterey County.

A CHNA provides information so that community organizations may use comprehensive data to identify health issues of greatest concern and decide to commit resources to those areas. This can have the greatest possible impact on community health.

The following "Areas of Opportunity" for Monterey County were identified that are the highest health priorities for the county:

1. Diabetes
2. Access to Health Care Services
3. Nutrition, Physical Activity & Weight
4. Mental Health
5. Heart Disease & Stroke
6. Substance Abuse
7. Cancer
8. Housing
9. Infant Health & Family Planning
10. Injury & Violence
11. Respiratory Disease
12. Tobacco Use

To view the 2025 Monterey County Community Health Needs Assessment report, visit https://www.healthymontereycounty.org.

Partnership

The Monterey County Health Needs Collaborative is a partnership of hospitals, health organizations and community agencies working together to improve the health and well-being of Monterey County residents. Founded in 2022, the Collaborative includes the County of Monterey Health Department, Mee Memorial Healthcare System, Montage Health, Natividad, Salinas Valley Health, and United Way Monterey County. In 2025, California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and Central California Alliance for Health (Alliance) joined the collaborative.

Not-for-profit hospitals must complete a CHNA every three years, and Health Departments must do one every five years. By combining expertise, resources and community engagement, the Collaborative strives to identify and address the most pressing health challenges facing our region.

Project Goals

The 2025 CHNA is a follow-up of a similar study conducted in 2022. It is a systematic, data-driven approach to determining the health status, behaviors and needs of residents in Monterey County. It may be used to inform decisions and guide efforts to improve community health and wellness and serves as a tool toward reaching three basic goals:

1. To improve residents' health status, increase their life spans, and elevate their overall quality of life.

2. To reduce the health disparities among residents.

3. To increase accessibility to preventive services for all community residents.

Methodology

The 2025 CHNA examines health needs specific to Monterey County. The assessment considered more than 200 indicators in six domains, including region, age, gender, race/ethnicity, income levels and sexual orientation.

The CHNA consists of both primary and secondary data. Primary data includes 2,205 online surveys and 800 phone calls in English and Spanish, as well as key informant surveys and feedback. Secondary data includes county, state and national data, as well as Healthy People 2030 Objectives. Trending data, as revealed by comparison to 2022 survey results, is provided throughout this report whenever available. Historical data for secondary indicators are also included for trend analysis.

The information gathered will help:

• Identify priority health concerns, such as mental health, chronic disease, access to care and nutrition.
• Inform hospitals, public health agencies and local organizations on where to focus resources and services.
• Support the development of health programs, funding opportunities and policy changes that directly benefit our community.

Invitation to participate and learn

In addition to the Collaborative members, community organizations are invited to use the CHNA data for everything from planning to grant reporting for health outcomes. United Way Monterey County is scheduling a Health Data Dive workshop on February 11, 2026, for community-focused organizations to review the assessment information and teach users how to access results. For more information, visit https://www.unitedwaymcca.org/contact-us

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Monterey County Health Needs Collaborative

ABOUT MONTAGE HEALTH

Montage Health is a nonprofit healthcare organization with deep roots in Monterey County dating back more than 90 years. Independent and locally owned, Montage Health was created by Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula to deliver exceptional care beyond the hospital. Montage Health now also includes MoGo Urgent Care, Montage Wellness Center, Montage Health Foundation, Montage Medical Group, Montage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, Aspire Health, and Ohana, Montage Health's family-focused mental health program for youth. Montage Health is continually investing in healthcare innovations to make the highest standard of care accessible to everyone in Monterey County. Learn more at montagehealth.org.

ABOUT SALINAS VALLEY HEALTH

Salinas Valley Health exists to help our community rise through good health. Founded in 1953 as Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, today we serve individuals and families throughout the Salinas Valley, Monterey Peninsula, and surrounding region. Salinas Valley Health employs more than 2,000 people and consists of a network of resources and collaborations which include a 263-bed acute care medical center; primary, specialty and urgent care clinics; a mobile clinic; and community-based health and wellness programs such as Blue Zones Project Monterey County. We deliver evidence-based quality and patient-focused care to improve health and wellbeing for all. www.SalinasValleyHealth.com.

ABOUT NATIVIDAD

Natividad, an essential hospital and trauma center in Salinas, is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality health care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Founded in 1886, Natividad offers a comprehensive range of medical services, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty care for adults and children. As the region's only Level II Trauma Center, Natividad delivers lifesaving medical services that save lives and keep patients close to home. Through its UCSF-affiliated Natividad Family Medicine Residency, Natividad is the only teaching hospital in Monterey County. For more information about Natividad, call (831) 755-4111 or visit www.natividad.com.

ABOUT MEE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Mee Memorial Healthcare System (MMHS) is dedicated to providing culturally sensitive, patient-centered healthcare with the highest standards of service. The MMHS network includes a hospital in King City with emergency services, acute care services, surgical services, skilled nursing, transitional care, rehabilitative services, and diagnostic imaging services, among others. The system includes multiple outpatient clinics, including the Albert and Donna Oliveira Clinic, a full-service primary care facility in the city of Greenfield; and the Mee Memorial Children's Health and Wellness Center in King City. MMHS serves as the primary healthcare provider for nearly 80,000 residents across Southern Monterey County. For more information, visit www.meememorial.com.

ABOUT MONTEREY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The Monterey County Health Department exists to enhance, protect, and improve the health of the people in Monterey County. To accomplish this, the Department provides a wide variety of health-related services in the areas of public health, environmental health, behavioral health, and clinic services. Monterey County Health Department is an accredited health department and has undergone a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures. For more information on programs and initiatives visit www.mtyhd.org

ABOUT UNITED WAY MONTEREY COUNTY

A locally based nonprofit organization connecting people, partners, and pathways to improve lives across Monterey County. Through innovative programs and cross-sector partnerships, our work centers on four pillars: Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Healthy Communities, and Community Resiliency, supporting individuals and families through urgent needs today while laying the foundation for long-term success. United is the Way. To learn more, visit www.unitedwaymcca.org.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY

Cal State Monterey Bay empowers students to become compassionate leaders ready to shape the future. We offer a transformative, experience-rich education in a supportive, inclusive, and inspiring environment. For more information about Cal State Monterey Bay, visit www.csumb.edu.

ABOUT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH

The Alliance is a regional Medi-Cal managed care health plan established in 1996, dedicated to improving access to health care for over 450,000 members in Merced, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Mariposa and San Benito counties. Operating under the state's County Organized Health System (COHS) model, the Alliance connects members with providers to deliver timely services and care, emphasizing prevention, early detection and effective treatment. With a vision of "healthy people, healthy communities," the Alliance remains committed to enhancing access to quality health care for its members. For more information, visit www.thealliance.health