The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48607

Zalika Shani, MPH, CHES, Leslie Daniels, MSW, LSW, Audrey Mack, and Judy Donlen, RN, DNSc, JD. Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative, 2500 McClellan Ave, Pennsauken, NJ 08109, 856-963-1013, zshani@snjpc.org

Abstract Title: Consumers As Equal Consortium Partners: Achievements and Challenges Authors: Zalika Shani, MPH, CHES, Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative (SNJPC), Leslie Daniels, MSW, LSW, Audrey Mack, AA, Judy Donlen, RN, DNSc, JD

Since 1985 the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Camden, NJ (HMHBC), a program of the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative (SNJPC), has involved Camden area providers, along with community based organizations in working together around maternal and child health. It was well positioned to become the Healthy Start consortium in 1997 and embarked on an ongoing effort to expand to include other stakeholders, including clients of Healthy Start services. The HMHBC’s major challenge under Healthy Start was to assure the involvement on the consortium of clients as consumers, to support consumers as equal partners and to reframe the providers’ perspective that their primary role is to be a community resource while sharing power with consumers.

The HMHBC utilized a Logic Model in establishing a strategic plan for consortium building. Expected outputs were identified and strategies to reach the goals were developed.

An analysis was conducted on the membership of the HMHBC to determine a baseline measure and to track the impact of Healthy Start funds in the support of consortium building. During the past 4-year period, the HMHBC achieved all of its consortium building performance measures and expected outputs to some degree.

Enablers that support consumer involvement as equal partners in a consortium, outcomes, challenges/barriers, and lessons learned will be presented.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

• identify at least four enablers that support consumer involvement as equal partners in a consortium/coalition.
• discuss at least three major challenges to consumer involvement as equal partners in consortia. 3.describe the four stages of consortium building and the role consumers should play in these stages.

Keywords: Community Involvement,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative/Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Camden is grantee agency for the Healthy Start Program. Consortium Building is overseen by this agency.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employment