Published July 22, 2025

For the first time in city history, Dearborn has released a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), offering a detailed look at the health priorities, challenges, and experiences of residents. The report, led by the Dearborn Department of Public Health (DPH), marks a major milestone in the City’s effort to center health in policymaking.  

The CHNA is based on a representative survey of 1,127 Dearborn residents, alongside in-depth focus groups with caregivers, young adults, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and others. With support from the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), DPH also convened a steering committee of community partners and residents to guide the process.

“This is more than just a report. It’s a roadmap and a reflection of the work we’ve already begun to build a healthier Dearborn,” said Ali Abazeed, Chief Public Health Officer and founding director of DPH. “Residents told us what matters to them: mental health, maternal and child well-being, environmental justice, and access to clear, reliable health information. These priorities give power and clarity to the course we’re on.”

Dearborn Mayor Abudllah H. Hammoud added, “The community health needs assessment serves as a compass for the health-in-all policies approach that my administration and I have adopted. This report provides us with real data and priorities to guide our policymaking and program design. With this, we are a step closer to ensuring that Dearborn is clean, green, and healthy for all.” 

The comprehensive health assessment, led by DPH Data Scientist Hayat Hachem and Public Health Advisor Sara Elhasan, identified four top priority areas:
 

Environmental Health: Residents expressed concerns about air quality, pollution, and neighborhood cleanliness, particularly in areas such as the Southend and East Dearborn. Many emphasized the toll these conditions take on children and other vulnerable populations.

Mental and Behavioral Health: Two out of three residents said that stigma keeps people from seeking help for mental health issues. About 1 in 5 residents reported poor mental health for at least 14 days in the past month.

Maternal and Child Health: Medicaid covered 64% of all births in Dearborn in 2023, higher than the state average of 39%. More than a third of Dearborn children live below the federal poverty line.

Community Health Resources, Education, and Literacy: Participants reported challenges in accessing accurate and timely information about local health resources. Many called for more accessible communication channels to meet the diverse needs of Dearborn’s population.

The final report also reflects a culturally responsive approach to data collection. DPH included “MENA” (Middle East and North Africa) as a racial/ethnic identity option to better represent the city’s population, where many residents are otherwise categorized as white in federal data.
 

The assessment and its accompanying community health improvement plan (CHIP), which outlines potential strategies to address health priorities, will be used to inform policy-making at a local level for years to come. Dearborn officials will utilize the document in identifying opportunities for growth in city services that affect health, particularly among the identified priority areas.

Abazeed added, "The Dearborn Department of Public Health extends its gratitude to the Michigan Public Health Institute for their partnership over the past 18 months to bring this report to life. We also thank the DMC Foundation for its generous support, which made this assessment possible.

The complete CHNA document is now available to view on the City’s website at Dearborn.gov/PublicHealth/CHNA2025. 

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