The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49893

Daryn Eikner, MS¹, Robert McKenna, MS¹, Taalibah Kariem-White¹, Armenta Washington, MS¹, Bethel Taylor¹, Emily Frelick¹, Robert Coppola, MA², Mary Atkinson¹, Rose Diggs¹, and Sherea Calhoun¹. (1) Training Department, Family Planning Council, 260 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215 985 2622, daryn@familyplanning.org, (2) TRAINING 3, Family Planning Council, 260 South Broad Street, Suite 1000, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Involving the community in reproductive health programming requires health care professionals to examine and frequently adapt their own attitudes, beliefs, and practices. This presentation will discuss lessons learned from family planning staff over the years as they worked to support community coalitions and increase their role in the development and implementation of teen pregnancy prevention, STD and HIV programming. The challenges that staff face when dealing with change and their need for flexibility and creative thinking will be addressed as working with community coalitions for most health professionals is not “business as usual.”

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

• Identify reproductive health services and approaches that involve the community
• Develop stategies for reproductive health programs and professionals to identify and involve key community players in reproductive health programming
• Consider community specific, culturally competent approaches to planning, implementing and evaluating reproductive health services.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.