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.

Services

• Coalition Coordinators'Network - Coalition coordinators often are in aunique rolein their community and may find needed support and ideas for success from their colleagues.
• CommunityHealth Assessment - Effective coalitions need a clear understanding of their community's resources,capacities, and needs.
• HealthCoalition Building - By bringing together the appropriate agencies, businesses, citizens, andcommunity groups, a coalition is an effective mechanism to accomplishgoals for health.
• Groupand Meeting Facilitation - Well-planned and facilitated meetings are crucial to accomplishing the work of community healthcoalitions.
• DesigningCommunity Based Approaches - Most communities are challenged bylimitations in time and resources. It is important to design effective approaches that are best suited to the unique needs and resources of acommunity.
• ContinuingEducation - Coalition members who have current knowledge of health issues, community-based interventions, and healthy communities' principles strengthen coalitions.

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
The Coalition Coordinators' Network meets once a quarter in Winston-Salem for a chance to network and learn about new programs, new ideas and to increase our skills in developing health coalitions in our communities. Meetings scheduled for 2008 are:

• June 4
• September 24
• December 3

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 help you:

• 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 help you:

• 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 help you:

• 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 help you:

• 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

Primary Care

Children's Mental Health Initiative

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