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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Diane Zipley, MS, Alliance for Innovations in Health Care, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, 4041 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, AZ 85012, 480-688-3978, dianemary813@cox.net

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health Alliance for Innovations in Health Care project is a coalition that evolved as a response to disparities in birth outcomes in the Maryvale and South Phoenix areas of Arizona. Its' goal is to engage the community in efforts to assess community assets, enhance the health care delivery system, improve access to care, and reduce health disparities.

The Alliance recently completed a resiliency-based bedside survey of 540 post-partum residents of South Phoenix and Maryvale. The survey asks the women about their perceptions regarding social support systems available to them, cohesiveness and strengths of their neighborhoods, the level of control they have over their life situations, and the care they received during their pregnancy.

To continue its' strength-based community planning efforts, the Alliance will conduct focus groups that ask women about their perceptions regarding the community. Additionally, comprehensive asset-based community mapping and training will take place to assess the resilience resources in South Phoenix and Maryvale. The mapping will be primarily conducted by community members.

The goal is to engage residents in the planning process around health issues, become aware of their resources, share their assets with others, and develop as leaders. An evaluation will show that community residents and health professionals in South Phoenix and Maryvale perceive that maternal and child health has significantly improved. Residents will be more attuned to their ability to control and engage their physical environment, network of support, and community to benefit their health and encourage wellness.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Apply asset-based community development tools in which individuals, organizations and communities identify their gifts/assets.
• Identify the twelve guiding principles for community mobilization.
• Engage neighborhoods to conduct community mapping and asset capacity inventories.

Related Web page: www.slhi.org/publications/miscellaneous/HNKReg.pdf

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered