Partnerships for Improving Community Health

Web Conference Series

“Comprehensive Assessment, Strategic Success”

Florida Department of HealthOffice of Health Statistics and AssessmentSpring 2009

Nuts and Bolts of Partnership Development

Series Goal

Strengthen capacities for collaborative community-based health

improvement efforts

Today’s Objectives

• Implement strategies for building and sustaining partnerships

• Use tools to identify/inventory roles/skills needed for the partnership

• Use skills learned to identify and retain active partners

Community Health Assessment and Health Improvement Planning

• The practice of collecting, analyzing and using data to educate and mobilize communities, develop priorities, gather resources, and plan and implement actions to improve public health. (Institute of Medicine)

Why Assess the Health of Your Community?

• Understand health problems, challenges– Risk factors, contributing causes

• Identify strengths, gains in health status– Assets, resources

• Learn community perceptions about health-related issues

• Use data/information to establish priorities, improve systems

How? Planning Models Matrix

MAPP is

• Community-wide strategic planning tool for improving public health

• Method to help communities prioritize public health issues, identify resources for addressing them, and take action

Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships

MAPP Concepts

• Mobilizing – Engaging the community

• Action – Implementing a health improvement plan

• Planning – Applying strategic planning concepts

• Partnerships – Involves local public health system and community partners

A Paradigm Shift

Links to Community, Agency Strategic Planning

Vision for Community’s Health

Agency Vision

Mission of Partnership Agency Mission

SWOT AnalysisAssessmentResults

Goals and ObjectivesGoals and Strategies

Action Plan and Monitoring Plan

Action Plan and Monitoring Plan

Common Strategic IssuesAgency Strategic Issues

Assessment Results: LPHSA, Community Health Status

Community Strategic Issues

Convening Program’s Goals

Partners’ Goals

Needs/Priorities of those we serve

Partnerships

Local Public Health System

MCOs

Home Health

Parks

Economic Development

Mass Transit

Employers

Nursing Homes

Mental Health

Drug Treatment

Civic GroupsCHCs

Laboratory Facilities

Hospitals

EMS Community Centers

Doctors

Health Department

Local Public Health System

Churches

Philanthropist

Elected Officials

Tribal Health

Schools

Police

Fire

Corrections

Environmental Health

Two Key Goals: Alignment of Resources and

Alignment of Individual Interests with Collective Ones

To change this . . . . .

To this . . . . . .

The Good, the Bad and The Ugly of Community Partnerships

The Good: • networking • more resources• more ideas • more people to help share the work• less duplication• shared vision• learn from past experiences• different expertise/knowledge

The Bad:• not all partners on the same page• lack of follow through • lack of leadership• becoming stagnant • maintaining involvement • sustainability• different priorities/interests • meeting just to meet• too many chiefs

The Ugly:• arguing among partners• negative/disruptive people • not valuing people’s time • asking partners to step down• different agendas• misunderstandings• same people involved • not open to change or new ideas• small town politics • unprofessional-ism

Benefits of Collaboration in the Public Health System

• Creates a healthy community and better quality of life

• Increases visibility of public health• Anticipates and manages change• Creates a stronger public health

infrastructure• Builds public health leadership• Creates advocates for public health• Builds stronger partnerships

Questions to keep in mind as you build your partnerships:• Why are community partners so important? • What does an effective partnership look like? • How do you measure success in your partnership?

Identify potential partners

Recruit & retain partners

Maintain active involvement

Determine role of partners

Create partnership agreements

Plan for sustainability- every step of the way

Evaluate the partnership constantly

Celebrate successes

Key Ingredients in Partnership Development

Partnership Development

First Step: Identify & recruit partners

• Who needs to be at the table?

• What are their expectations?

• What is our mission and vision?

• What are our goals and objectives?

• Let them know what they can expect; how long will the partnership last?

Why are we seeking partners? What are our needs?

What do we hope to gain from a potential

partnership? What kind of partners are we looking for (law

enforcement, education, health care, etc) ? Are we looking for support from key decision

makers in the community?

Identifying Partners

What do we have to offer potential partners?

What value or benefit can we offer potential partners?

Do we have expertise or resources that would be useful to

others?

Are we trying to reach the same clients or potential

partners?

Identifying Partners

Develop your own Partnership Skills

Make your own self-improvement plan

Evaluate your commitment to other partnerships

Are you a good partner?

How do we Market our Partnership?

• Marketing creates greater awareness of your partnership in the community

• Through marketing, a partnership can emphasize its association with other community partners

• Marketing builds confidence in the community group.

• Marketing encourages participation

• Marketing helps develop contacts and expands everyone’s knowledge base

What is family literacy?Family literacy is a relatively new approach to literacy development. The goal is to prevent the cycle of intergenerational problems of low literacy, by building on the strengths of the family and their existing uses of literacy.

Why is family literacy important here?We believe that a family literacy program is needed here in our community. Statistics Canada figures from 1989 show that nearly one in every three Canadians has difficulty with everyday reading tasks.

Working in partnershipFamily literacy is not just about reading and writing. It is about developing stronger relationships between parents and their children. It is about getting parents involved in their children's education. It is about building stronger families and healthier communities. We know now that the issues and challenges families face are multifaceted and complex, and we also know that we need to work together to address those issues. Your agency has expertise and insights that we need to plan and develop a family literacy project for our community. By working in partnership, we can reach those families that most need the support, and help each other deliver more effective, efficient services at the same time.

For more information, please call: The Mosquito County Family Literacy Organization at (555) 555-1212.

Sample Partnership Information Sheet

Are the right partners at the table? Who is missing?

Activity: After brainstorming, list the partners you would like to include in your community partnership. List by agency/organization and name1. ____________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________

10. ___________________________________________________________

11. ___________________________________________________________

12. ___________________________________________________________

Identifying Community Partners

What are some of the roles needed in

our partnerships?

Role Inventory

Do you have a partner who can Evaluate components of the partnership

Manage partner database and meeting notifications

Provide guidance for policy development and program planning

Collect and analyze data; conduct community assessments

Develop Social Networking tools for the partnership

Develop and present education and training programs for partners

Educate elected officials and policy makers on health issues

Market the partnership

Monitor/analyze health-related legislation (Legislative issues)

Potential Roles

Partner Skill/Expertise Inventory

• Example tool to ascertain skills, expertise of partnership members

• Use inventory results as a guide in assigning or selecting roles

Roles Skill or Area of Expertise Needed Need Have Who?

•Partnership Management Program management skills, social networking skills

•Fiscal manager Budget management

•Meeting planner Event planning

•Meeting facilitator Facilitative leadership expertise

•Recorder Writing skills

•Membership coordinator Database management

•Planners Strategic planning

Action planning

•Program Planning Design educational materials, activities

Implement educational materials, activities

•Evaluator Evaluation

•Goals, objectives Writing measurable goals, objectives

•Quality assurance Performance improvement

•Communication Public speaking, working with media

•Marketing Public relations

Social marketing

•Spokesperson Public speaking

•IT Social media

•Policy Policy development

•Health Content Specialist Trainers, educators, public heath professionals

•Health status Data analysis, interpretation

Partner Roles and Skills/Expertise ChecklistUse this grid to identify partnership roles, skills needed for those roles, and if you need/have a person in that role.

The Good, the Bad and The Ugly of Community Partnerships

The Good: • networking • more resources• more ideas • more people to help share the work• less duplication• shared vision• learn from past experiences• different expertise/knowledge

The Bad:• not all partners on the same page• lack of follow through • lack of leadership• becoming stagnant • maintaining involvement • sustainability• different priorities/interests • meeting just to meet• too many chiefs

The Ugly:• arguing among partners• negative/disruptive people • not valuing people’s time • asking partners to step down• different agendas• misunderstandings• same people involved • not open to change or new ideas• small town politics • unprofessional-ism

Musical Chairs What would you do if this happened in your partnership?

You are the leader of the Sunshine County Health Coalition. You and the coalition members have worked hard to get the right partners to the table. One very important agency sends a different representative every time the coalition meets. Before new business can be conducted, precious time is wasted bringing the new person up to speed. Commitments made by the agency’s previous representative aren’t honored. How do you ensure that the right partners stay engaged? How would you handle the issue of broken promises?

Case Study

Possible solutions

Case Study

• Provide new member orientation and educate on roles and responsibilities

• Re-examine the meeting time and place• Survey members to find out their needs, expectations, and benefits

they've gained (or not gained)• Hold elections - elect representatives from organizations (the

partnership chooses its members)• Let peer pressure handle it• Be sure the minutes reflect what's been happening• Use a memorandum of agreement• Have leader take direct approach with offending organization (meet

face-to-face)

Tools and Resources

• COMPASS website www.doh.state.fl.us/COMPASS

• Florida MAPP Field Guide– On-line and print– Step-by-step guide– Tip sheets,

worksheets

• Marketing materials– Florida MAPP Tour

Book

• Technical assistance– On site, web

conference, phone

Tools and Resources

• www.floridacharts.com• Foundational resource

for community-based health planning

Need More Information?

• Visit CHARTS www.floridacharts.com• Visit COMPASS website www.doh.state.fl.us/COMPASS/

Contact DOH Office of Planning, Evaluation and Data Analysis

• Christine Abarca at 850-245-4444 ext 2071, e-mail: Christine_Abarca@doh.state.fl.us

• Laurie Osgood at 850-245-4444 ext. 2036, e-mail: Laurie_Osgood@doh.state.fl.us

Future Modules

• August 12 – Techniques for Sustaining Community Partnerships

• August 19 – Leadership and Facilitation presented by the Dept. of Health’s Office of Performance Improvement

• September 2 – Evaluating your Partnership

All modules take place from 2-3 pm ET