 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Betty J. Elliott, RN, MPH, Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency, 2021 East Hennepin, Suite 230, Minneapolis, MN 55413, 612- 617-4791, elliottb@mvna.org, Gretchen Musicant, RN, MPH, Public Health Initiatives, Minneapolis Department of Health & Family Support, 250 South 4th Street South - Room 510, Minneapolis, MN 55415, and Mary Ann Blade, RN, BSN, CEO, Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency, 2021E. Hennepin, Suite 230, Minneapolis, MN 55413.
From the mid-1980s until recently, Minnesota’s public health nursing services have been driven by the state’s Medical Assistance contracts with managed care plans. The focus has been on short-term services for at risk or ill individuals who require nursing care in the home setting. Community connectedness to public health nursing atrophied as a result. In 2000 the Minnesota legislature appropriated TANF funds for public health nursing services to low-income families with a minor child or a pregnant woman. Minneapolis and Hennepin county public health agencies along with the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency (a non-profit agency providing public health nursing services) seized the opportunity to implement a model that directly connects outreach activities to the service delivery for clients. This new model is helping to rebuild the public health infrastructure and to reestablish relationships with community members and agency providers.
An evaluation of the impact on family self- sufficiency showed that this approach is yielding measurable results. This program model: 1) helps teens stay in school and avoid second pregnancies and 2) helps remove health barriers to employability. Key results, program elements, and success stories will be presented in this session.
Learning Objectives At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to: 1) List two program elements that contribute to positive family outcomes. 2) Describe the impact of program design on family engagement with public health nursing services.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.