Healthy Connections is a program that connects youth incarcerated at the Donald E. Long Detention Center in Portland, Oregon to health services. An inter-agency Process Improvement Team, (PIT) developed Healthy Connections. The inter-agency collaboration developed and implemented a needs assessment survey of the youth within the detention center. Results revealed the youth's self-identified mental, physical, and social needs. These needs then were coupled with findings from routine medical assessments. The PIT then matched the results with community based providers that specialized in these needs.
Healthy Connections emphasizes prevention, early detection, effective treatment, education and continuity of care. Health Educators from diverse community based organizations facilitate educational groups at the detention center and provide the youth an opportunity to meet an agency representative, learn more about their programs and how to access the services they offer when they leave detention. The goal of Healthy Connection is to remove barriers, giving the incarcerated youth the tools to empower them to access medical care and social services they need when released. Research demonstrates that effective health care during incarceration and continuity of care following discharge is associated with lower recidivism.
Incarcerated youth have multiple risk factors. Their lives are complicated by physical, social and economic challenges. While incarcerated these youth are safe, well fed and sober, many for the first time. This is an opportune time to impact their lives. Healthy Connections has demonstrated that collaboration between corrections-based health services and community-based programs leads to innovative programs that can positively impact public health.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session the participants will be able to: 1. identify members of a Project Improvement Team utilizing community and private partners 2. develop a needs assessment that specifically addresses the health and social needs of the incarcerated youth 3. articulate the construction of a health education program targeting disenfranchised youth
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Policy/Policy Development
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Multnomah County Health Department, Portland, Oregon
Juvenile Dentention Center, Corrections Health
School Based Health Clinics
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.