The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68289

Zalika Shani, MPH, CHES, Barbara May, RN, BSN, Helen Hannigan, BS, and Judy Donlen, RN, DNSc, JD. Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative, 2500 McClellan Ave, Pennsauken, NJ 08109, 856-963-1013, zshani@snjpc.org

Community health partnerships are initiated to engage multiple agencies in efforts to improve the system of care while garnering their commitment, resources and expertise. Ventures of this nature are often proposed with optimism and without consideration of the challenges that will be encountered. The Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative’s (SNJPC) Camden Healthy Start Project experienced the benefits and many challenges with the implementation of its Phase II Healthy Start project in 2001. Local health system issues encountered in Phase I of the Camden Healthy Start Project led the development of a specialized case management system by partners in the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Camden. The system is designed to serve high-risk pregnant and post partum women and their families for a period of two years. Clients at risk for poor pregnancy outcome are identified through a uniform screening and assessment process by hospital and community-based prenatal and primary care providers. Clients are then referred to case management specialists for intensive community-based follow up, including home visits. SNJPC developed subcontracts with seven CBO’s to provide these case management services and coordinated the efforts of partners to establish the referral system. The presenter will share the positive aspects of the planning and implementation process. However, the balance of the presentation will focus on strategies used and tools developed to meet the organizational and service-related challenges encountered in establishing and maintaining this partnership. Guidelines and tools will be discussed and shared.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• 1. Describe the benefits of establishing a community-based, multidisciplinary case management system with multiple subcontractors;
• 2. Recognize the challenges inherent in developing multiple subcontracts to provide a comprehensive system of services.
• 3. Discuss organizational and service-related strategies necessary to successfully manage multiple subcontractors.

Keywords: Case Management, Partnerships

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.