Strong Community Ties
Strategy 1 - Include Your Community in Program Planning
Involve your target community, including local service delivery experts, in all stages of program planning, Institutionalize a feedback channel for ongoing communication: community needs change and the best programs change with them
Strategies in Action:
- Before CAPP began delivering services in North Philadelphia, they heard from local parents about the kinds of home visits, clinical support, and provider interaction that would work best for them. Over time, the parents helped CAPP refine the program. Parents made clear that it was sometimes hard to know if a child had asthma, so CAPP established a door-to-door asthma-screening program.
Strategy 2 - Engage Your Community ‘Where It Lives’
Situate offices and care sites in the target community, Promote cultural competence by meeting local needs with local people, Demonstrate broad commitment to your target community by getting involved in community affairs
Strategies in Action:
- UHP is the largest employer in their zip code with 13 sites in their service area. Most people in the South Bronx know about UHP’s asthma program and many know someone who works there.
- Monroe hired and trained local, culturally competent staff for asthma outreach, and promoted the program at local community events.
- ANWM’s manager serves on the local United Way’s Investment Council, donating time to review proposals, conduct site visits, evaluate existing programs, and make funding decisions.
Strategy 3 - Make it Easy to Accept Services
Understand and respond to your target community’s needs by delivering convenient services
Strategies in Action:
- CAPP provides simultaneous asthma education classes for adults and children so parents can attend without worrying about childcare. CAPP’s classes are offered in the evenings, several days per week, in English and Spanish, in multiple locations—schools, churches, etc.—and all locations are close to public transportation.
- The AH! Program provides program materials in 6 languages and low-literacy materials that use pictograms to educate disadvantaged and multi-cultural audiences.