141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

276694
"circle of care": Balancing system and organizational priorities with community needs in order to build a healthier community in the new center/midtown area of detroit, MI

Monday, November 4, 2013

Monica White, MPH , Institute on Multicultural Health, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Ron Beford , Interfaith Health and Hope Coalition, Brighton, MI
Denise White-Perkins, MD, PhD , Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Veronica Williams, MPH , Institute on Multicultural Health, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
The American Hospital Association has highlighted the need for nonprofit hospitals and health systems to have open and honest discussions with community members regarding their needs- above and beyond the provision of medical care. One such mode is Circle of Care, a community and health system partnership developed by the Interfaith Health & Hope Coalition (IHHC). The collaboration links leaders of the faith community to representatives of health systems, community, and social and human service agencies. The New Center/Midtown Circle of Care (NCMCOC) in Detroit, Michigan was convened in March 2011 by IHHC in collaboration with the Henry Ford Health System, Institute on Multicultural Health. Targeting neighborhoods within a 3-5 mile radius of Henry Ford Hospital (HFH) which are predominantly African American with an annual household income of $23,000, and 15% uninsured HFH patients, NCMCOC is an ideal partnership to address unmet needs of an underserved population. Beginning primarily as a group focused on information-sharing, the NCMCOC evolved into a process of strategic envisioning for a healthier neighborhood. Through a series of discussions regarding social determinants of health, including a shared viewing of the PBS documentary, “Unnatural Causes,” participants completed a strategic plan and began working on several action items, including mapping New Center/Midtown “place” boundaries; accessing more in-depth needs assessment information for the area; and asset mapping. The group is currently completing a work-plan to survey and disseminate information on community assets, while engaging New Center/Midtown stakeholders to take part in and support the process.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Describe methods by which health care systems and organizations can effectively partner with community and faith leaders to create a shared strategy for building a healthier community; Identify an approach for conducting an open dialogue with community partners around social determinants of health and its impact on healthcare delivery; Identify an approach for conducting community assessment and strategic planning; Describe challenges around negotiating priorities and leveraging partnerships in a manner that supports health system priorities; Discuss techniques for maintaining engagement of community partners.

Keywords: Community Assets, Access to Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the lead facilitator of the New Center/Midtown Circle of Care group for almost two years. Among my specific interests are community-based structural and policy change projects which engage community members in discussions, recognizing and understanding community health needs, formulating a strategic plan, setting priorities and creating sustainable projects to collaborate on.
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.