Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) is a nonprofit organization whose primary goal is the partnering of higher educational institutions with their communities in order to promote health through service-learning, community-based participatory research, and broad-based coalitions (CCPH Board of Directors, 2008). Context Journal shares this goal and has therefore partnered with CCPH in order to provide its readers with new and exciting research from the 2007 CCPH conference. The following are the abstracts of information that was presented at the conference that complement the vision of the Policy and Practice section. Each of these abstracts analyzes a deficit in community health and relates it to changes in policy or creation of new policy that could correct this deficit.
Relationship between Community OrganizING and Community Research: Challenges and Opportunities?
Session Format: Challenges consultation session
Intended Skill Level: Intermediate
Sub-Theme(s): From Grassroots Movements to Policy Change
Authors (Presenters in bold): Doug Brugge, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine and Tufts Community Research Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA; Lydia Lowe, Chinese Progressive Association, Medford, MA, USA; Bindu Panikkar, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
In this session we want to deconstruct the framework of community organizing to see how frames its visions and mission that ultimately enables social change. Within this larger context of how a social movement works we also want to observe how community organizing interacts with research, and where community health research fits in with organizing.
Both community organizing and research have benefits and unique roles in driving social change and enriching local knowledge, we will discuss and debate the strengths in each approach - the trade offs and brokering that is required to be compatible. Primarily we inquire - how can research and community organizing reinforce each other rather than undermine each other?
To initiate discussions between community organizing and community researchers.
To develop insight into the dynamics of community organizing and understanding when and where research plays a part in organizing.
To shape CBPR as the voice of the community, as an effective vehicle for social change working side by side with community organizing.
Session Learning Objectives:
To learn ways in which community organizing and community research could reinforce each other
To identify facets in organizing that can be strengthened by research.
To gain greater understanding of one's community, community organizing, initiating social change, and conducting research that informs the campaigns and fosters policy changes.
10 minutes - Icebreaker activity, Introductions
20 minutes - Boston Chinatown case study presentation
20 minutes - Large group brainstorming: the positives and negatives of research for community organizations
20 minutes - Small group exercise: Develop proposed guidelines for how and when grassroots organization groups should engage in CBPR
20 Minutes - Report back/ large group discussion
Mobilizing Community Partnerships for Procedural Justice and Social Change: Academic and Activist Perspectives
Session Format: Story session
Track: Community-Academic Partnerships in HIV/AIDS
Intended Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Sub-Theme(s): Understanding and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health; From Grassroots Movements to Policy Change
Authors (Presenters in bold): Jeff S. Denis, Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Tony Di Pede,The Wellesley Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dennis W. Magill, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, The Wellesley Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
Through a case study of the transformation and closure of The Wellesley Hospital, this session demonstrates (1) how community partnerships enable change, by fostering procedural justice (perceived fairness of decision-making processes) and innovative ideas; (2) how the lack of a partnership approach leads to poor policy decisions and resistance to change. The story is told from the perspectives of a sociologist (linking it to theory and research) and an activist (linking it to lived experience).
To describe how community partnerships enable innovative change, by creating perceived procedural justice, new ideas, trust, loyalty, and support
To describe how the lack of a partnership approach can result in regrettable policy decisions and fierce resistance to change
To recommend practical steps to implement procedurally just processes in health-related organizations and ways to capitalize on them, once achieved
Session Learning Objectives:
To understand how community partnerships generate procedural justice and innovative ideas, thereby enabling progressive change
To understand how externally imposed change attempts fail because they do not consider local knowledge and instead create procedural injustice
To be able to draw on the Wellesley Hospital's experiences to develop practical steps to implement innovative changes in their own organizations
Interactive discussion of what “justice” means
PowerPoint presentation: how partnerships enable change by generating procedural justice, new ideas, trust, loyalty, and support
Personal account of how these processes played out at the Wellesley Hospital
Video footage of the Staying Alive Campaign
Practical steps to implement procedurally just processes
Open discussion of how these lessons might apply to other organizations
Use of the EnvironmENTAL protection agency's Collaborative Problem Solving Model to Address Environmental Justice Issues at the Local Level
Session Format: Skill-building workshop
Intended Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Sub-Theme(s): Communities as Centers of Learning, Discovery and Engagement; Developing the Science of Community-Based or Practice-Based Evidence
Authors (Presenters in bold): Omega Wilson, West End Revitalization Association, Mebane, NC, USA; Sacoby Wilson, Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,
USA; Chris Heaney, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; John Cooper, Emergency Preparedness Demonstration Program Coordinator, MDC Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, USA
We will describe the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Collaborative Problem Solving Model (CPSM) framework which West End Revitalization Association has used to address environmental injustice in North Carolina. We will discuss how the CPSM framework can be used in other communities facing similar issues. We will train participants in the use of CPSM framework through interactive activities.
To describe the EPA's Collaborative Problem Solving Model (CPSM) Program for participants interested in building community-led partnerships
To outline WERA's implementation of the EPA CPSM to address non-compliance with environmental regulations and built environment insults in Mebane, NC
To train participants in adapting and implementing the EPA CPSM to address environmental justice issues through resource leveraging and mobilization and conflict resolution
Session Learning Objectives:
To outline the components of the EPA's CPSM to provide their communities with an alternative approach to solve local problems.
To utilize the EPA's CPSM framework to address environmental injustice and public health risks in their local communities.
To demonstrate how to develop strong partnerships between affected communities and other stakeholders using principles of collaboration.
Introduction of the topic
Discussion Topic I: EPA's Collaborative Problem Solving Model
Discussion Topic II: WERA's implementation of the EPA CPSM framework
Activity I: Small group discussion on participants' local environmental justice issues
Activity II: Mock Collaborative Problem-Solving Model meeting with participants acting as community advocates, local officials, federal officials, academic partners, and other stakeholders
Setting our minds to do it: Community centred research for health policy
Session: Thematic Poster Session
Track: Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples' Health
Sub-Theme(s): Understanding and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health; From Grassroots Movements to Policy Change
Authors (Presenters in bold): Karen Edwards, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Ginger V. Gibson, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Nancy L. Gibson, CIETcanada, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada; Jim Martin, Tåîchô Community Services Agency, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
The four Dogrib communities held two workshops: the first was held in 2004 to identify the indicators of healthy daily living as a Dogrib. Then their agreement with the federal government was signed, and a second workshop was held to carry the indicators through a qualitative analysis process that was enhanced by analysis of traditional songs and stories. The outcome was draft policies for the environment and for the Tåîchô Community Services Agency.
Addressing Challenges in Knowledge Mobilization
Track: Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples' Health
Sub-Theme(s): From Grassroots Movements to Policy Change; Developing the Science of Community-Based or Practice-Based Evidence
Authors (Presenters in bold): Jaime L. Brown, Centre for Families, Work and Well-being, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Kerry Daly, Father Involvement Research Alliance-Community Unviersity Research Alliance, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Linda Hawkins, Community Unviersity Research Alliance, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
The Father Involvement Research Alliance is a national partnership with fathers, policy makers, researchers, and practitioners, including researchers from 8 universities, and community participation from over 30 agencies that serve fathers & families. A knowledge mobilization (KM) workshop was held to build capacity of researchers to address needs arising from community based research and served as a model for how KM could be built into complex research projects as both process and product.
Bringing Evidence into Action and Action into Evidence: Using Evidence to Enhance Canada's Public Health Decision-Making Capacity
Sub-Theme(s): Developing the Science of Community-Based or Practice-Based Evidence
Authors (Presenters in bold): Mary Patricia Dressler, Marie DesMeules, Nina Jetha, Vincent Turgeon, Grace Wan, and Y. Anita Li, Public Health Agency of Canada, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Ottawa, ON, Canada
The key elements of a Population Health Approach are instrumental in providing a comprehensive approach to best practice decision-making for community-based programs addressing chronic disease, and building a stronger evidence-base derived from practice. A Canadian Best Practices Portal for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention enhances access to practice-based evidence.
Native Health Initiative: empowering communities to health
Track: Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples' Health; Emerging Leaders
Sub-Theme(s): Understanding and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health; Communities as Centers of Learning, Discovery and Engagement
Authors (Presenters in bold): Anthony N. Fleg, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Native Health Initiative Program, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Shannon M. Fleg (Navajo), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Native Health Initiative Program, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Sabina Fattah, Native Health Initiative (International), Norway Medical School
The Native Health Initiative (NHI) established partnership between American Indian communities of North Carolina with U.S. and International health professions students, to address the un-met health needs of these communities. NHI's community-driven model provides a mutual learning process to improve health issues and disparities of American Indian tribes; by educating on American Indian values and tradition, sustainability through diverse projects, youth empowerment, and cultural exchange.
Addressing Determinants of Health Together: A Resource Guide on Hospital-Community Collaboration
Sub-Theme(s): Understanding and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health; Communities as Centers of Learning, Discovery and Engagement
Authors (Presenters in bold): Blake D. Poland, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Andrew Koch, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Heather Graham, Consultant, Toronto, ON, Canada; Julie Gilbert, Knowledge Translation, The Change Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada; Heather Campbell, The Duffy Group, Toronto, ON, Canada
A federally-funded campus-community research partnership initiative was undertaken to document experiences of hospital-community collaboration in Ontario that address determinants of health in the community, and to identify barriers and critical success factors at the organizational, community, and policy levels. Using tips, strategies and advice from the field, a Resource Guide has been developed to assist staff from hospitals and community organizations in their collaborative undertakings.
Community-Based Participatory Research: Policy and Practice
Sub-Theme(s): From Grassroots Movements to Policy Change; Communities as Centers of Learning, Discovery and Engagement
Authors (Presenters in bold): Kim D. Sydnor, School of Public Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Gayle Headen, Union Baptist Head Start Center Program, Baltimore, MD, USA; Mackessa Holt, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Goals: Partnership - Establish academic-community partnership and meet community need. Research - Expand the context for evaluating Head Start effectiveness. Methods: Cross sectional observational study with 30 parent-child pairs; data collected via parent and child interviews. Results: Education and personal development were central in the research findings. Also, Head Start seemed to impact parent political involvement. The partnership had been created with an agenda to meet community need.
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Board of Directors (2008). Retrieved October 21, 2008, from the CCPH homepage, http://www.ccph.info.
