Community Health Partnerships
Northwest AHEC provides technical assistance, consultation, and training to health coalitions in the region to support their efforts for local health improvement. We assist coalitions in accessing the expertise of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the health professions schools of the University of North Carolina system and the other resources within the Northwest AHEC system. Northwest AHEC's Community Health Partnerships mission is to strengthen the capacity of communities to improve their health by providing support to community health coalitions. We offer:
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Services
- Coalition Coordinators' Network - Coalition coordinators often are in a unique role in their community and may find needed support and ideas for success from their colleagues.
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- Community Health Assessment - Effective coalitions need a clear understanding of their community’s resources, capacities, and needs.
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Health Coalition Building - By bringing together the appropriate agencies, businesses, citizens, and community groups, a coalition is an effective mechanism to accomplish goals for health.
- Group and Meeting Facilitation - Well-planned and facilitated meetings are crucial to accomplishing the work of community health coalitions.
- Designing Community Based Approaches - Most communities are challenged by limitations in time and resources. It is important to design effective approaches that are best suited to the unique needs and resources of a community.
- Continuing Education - Coalition members who have current knowledge of health issues, community-based interventions, and healthy communities’ principles strengthen coalitions.
- Resources - Here are links to a variety of web sites to assist community health coalitions in relevant content and process issues.
- Journal Updates - links to medline searches of interest to CHP
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Coalition Coordinators Network
Purpose
The Coalition Coordinators Network provides a forum for health coalition coordinators and others interested in health coalition development to enhance their skills, share their knowledge and experience, and network with one another.
Co-sponsorship
The Coalition Coordinators Network is supported by Northwest AHEC’s Community Health Partnerships staff and by the Regional Health Education Consultant of the Winston-Salem Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Healthy Carolinians.
Membership
Membership is open to health coalition coordinators from the 17 counties of the Northwest AHEC Region and the 26 counties of the Winston-Salem Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Healthy Carolinians and others interested in health coalition development.
Quarterly Meeting
We hope that you can attend the next Coalition Coordinators' Network meeting in late February or early March 2008, at the Reynolda Business Center in Winston-Salem. The date has not yet been set but an announcement will go out as soon as possible.
For more information, please contact Ellen Kesler ekesler@wfubmc.edu
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Community Health Assessment
One of the foundations for effective community health coalition efforts is a current, broad, and inclusive understanding of the existing resources, capacities, and needs of the community. Community health assessment involves obtaining data from a variety of sources, both objective and subjective, and analyzing the data to assist in priority setting and program planning.
We can assist you to
· Identify existing sources of data
· Design survey tools
· Plan and implement community and focus group meetings
· Organize and interpret health data
· Develop health data presentations
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Health Coalition Building
Many of the health problems facing communities today are dependent on a complex set of interrelated, multifaceted issues which can not be adequately addressed by one group or agency. Communities find that they can address their needs more effectively by working through a coalition of agencies, businesses, citizens, and community groups. Coalitions have varied needs dependent on their stage of development.
We can assist you to
· Establish a diverse membership
· Develop a vision, mission, and organizational structure
· Determine coalition goals and objectives
· Develop and implement action plans to address needs
· Maintain coalition momentum
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Group and Meeting Facilitation
Meetings provide one avenue for collaborative assessment, planning, and evaluation for coalitions. Successful meetings are dependent on thoughtful planning of content and process and skillful meeting facilitation.
We can assist you to
· Establish realistic agendas
· Utilize tools for gaining input in group decision-making
· Promote consensus building
· Promote effective conflict resolution
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Designing Community Based Approaches
The possibilities for community interventions to address identified needs are endless. The key is maximizing the effectiveness of the approaches chosen. Knowing what has been proven to work AND what has been proven not to work can help communities target their limited resources to projects and programs which will most positively impact the need.
We can assist you to
· Identify best practices from professional literature
· Design interventions appropriate to the populations served
· Assist with grant development
· Implement programs
· Evaluate programs
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Continuing Education
Maintaining current knowledge and skills in health issues and healthier communities concepts is an ongoing process for coalition members and health and human service professionals in the community. A variety of educational opportunities are needed to assist them in enhancing their effectiveness in addressing complex issues.
We can
· Develop continuing education programs for health professionals and coalition members in needed content and process areas
· Link you with other providers of continuing education
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Primary Care - Children's Mental Health Initiative