The nation's public health community, as well as that of the medical community, continue to look to community-based planning as a means of improving health outcomes. Macro Social Work has an important role to play in helping public health and medical organizations engage in effective community-based health planning. Skills associated with meaningful community involvement are all within the domain of the Macro Social Worker. These broadly include community organizing, community assessment, program planning, social marketing, and evaluation. The MassHealth Access Program (MAP) at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) is involving Macro Social Work students in its work to provide community-based health planning services for the state Medicaid agency. Macro Social Work and other students doing field work are assigned discrete projects based on the overall objectives of the initiative. Specific tasks undertaken by students have included community assets assessments, stakeholder analyses, focus group development and observation, and researching and writing technical assistance bulletins on community involvement for primary care providers. Integrating Macro Social Work students into community-based health planning involves the development of educational opportunities for both the students as well as Public Health and other staff associated with the initiative. This session will focus on demonstrating how MAP integrated Social Work and other students into a community-based diabetes education and quality improvement project. The student learning contract and educational curriculum, as well as a short bibliography of the role of Macro Social Workers in Public Health planning will be shared as part of this presentation.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: A. List at least 5 components of community-based health planning to which Macro Social Work students can contribute B. Describe a curriculum for Social Work students in one community-based health planning initiative C. Discuss the role of Macro Social Workers in community-based public health planning
Keywords: Students, Planning
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.