Center for Community Health Innovation helps launch public health dashboards for Salem and Covington

Salem and Covington residents now have easy access to a wealth of insightful health data and tools thanks to a partnership that includes Roanoke College’s Center for Community Health Innovation, the Alleghany Health District and the national City Health Dashboard. 

City Health Dashboard is an interactive tool that distills dozens of data points about local health outcomes and risk factors into a clear, easy-to-use public resource. Offered at no cost to select communities, it helps governments, organizations and residents use data to guide decisions that create healthier neighborhoods. 

Salem and Covington were picked for the program as part of the competitive, nationwide Put Us on the Map Challenge. They were the only Virginia cities selected this year. The applications were sponsored by the Center for Community Health Innovation and the Alleghany Health District as part of their work with Invest Health, a regional team of public-private partners who work to advance community health goals. In 2024, that team successfully advocated for the City of Roanoke to be added to the health dashboard. 

“Our goal is to put timely, accurate public health data into the hands of the people who need it most,” said Professor Liz Ackley, director of the Center for Community Health Innovation. “Whether you're a local policymaker, a student conducting research, or a resident concerned about your community’s well-being, this dashboard makes critical data more understandable and actionable.” 

City Health Dashboard is a project of NYU Langone Health’s Department of Population Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Key features of its platform include:  

• Data on 30+ metrics including local health outcomes, access to clinical care, socioeconomic indicators, behavioral risk factors and environmental conditions.  
• Interactive tools to measure local health metrics against other cities nationwide.  
• Curated action toolkits with resources and strategies for next steps.  

Support also will be provided by Ackley, the Alleghany Health District and other Invest Health partners to help Salem and Covington harness the full potential of the dashboards. The goal is to empower communities to make data-driven decisions, close health gaps and create change that improves lives. 

“We’re excited to bring this powerful tool to Salem and Covington as part of our vision for a healthier region,” said Kristin Adkins, population health manager for the Alleghany Health District. “Access to meaningful data is essential for creating lasting change in public health.” 

The health dashboards for Salem and Covington went live today. They can be viewed at www.cityhealthdashboard.com.