Online Program

286769
Healthmatters community academic partnership: Creating tools for community action among people with developmental disabilities and their supports


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Beth Marks, PhD, RN, Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Jasmina Sisirak, PhD, MPH, Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Leslie Hoelzel, MA, ARCA, Albuquerque, NM
Dina Donohue-Chase, BS, Vocational Services, NorthPointe Resources, Zion, IL
Kristin Krok, C.T.R.S., NorthPointe Resources
Extending advocacy to health and wellness activities is a key element for bridging equity gaps and achieving self-direction among people with DD. HealthMatters™ CAP is an NIH-funded collaboration which aims to enhance health status and optimize full community participation of people with DD across the lifespan. Through HealthMatters™ CAP, two community-based organizations (CBOs), NorthPointe Resources of Zion, IL and ARCA of Albuquerque, NM, and an academic institution (University of Illinois at Chicago) are working together to build capacity in communities through evidence-based curricula and training to improve health. This presentation will discuss capacity building initiatives among eight Affiliate CBOs in Illinois and New Mexico to build an infrastructure for community linked health promotion research programs, service-learning activities, and training initiatives for people with DD. Key stakeholders from each CBO participated in two days of iterative dialogue and strategic action planning using the HealthMatters Assessments (HMA) to understand their unique organizational and community needs for developing a sustainable health promotion program for people with DD and their supports. Within the HMA, capacities are explored in four areas: 1) Health Promotion Programs and Services; 2) Environmental Supports and Resources for Nutrition and Physical Activity; 3) Organizational Culture (Commitment, Policies and Incentives, Structures); and, 4) Employee Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Related to Health Promotion. We will discuss the processes used with the HMA to guide the development of organizational strategic plans aimed at building collective and self efficacy to develop and implement health promotion programs for people with DD.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the importance of Community Academic Partnerships (CAP) to community-based organizations and the benefit of health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. Describe how the use of Health Matters Assessments in CBOs builds capacity for health promotion research, service learning, and training that can strengthen and improve health promotion and disease prevention services. Evaluate the translation and dissemination of an evidence-based health promotion program in creating the foundation for state networks to impact the service and regulatory systems in IL and NM.

Keyword(s): Community-Based Health Promotion, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am responsible for because I have been conducting health promotion research initiatives for over 20 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.