Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102124

Leslie A. Best, BA¹, Susan M. Myers, MA, MPH², Raymond A. Howard, MBA³, and Stephen B. Thomas, PhD³. (1) Director, Bureau of Chronic Disease, Pennsylvania Department of Health, 10 th Floor Health and Welfare Building, Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17108, 717-783-6600, lbest@state.pa.us, (2) Vice-President, Community Health Division, I-LEAD, Inc., 6401 Penn Avenue, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, (3) Center for Minority Health, University of Pittsburgh, 125 Parran Hall, 130 Desoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Pennsylvania is one of only a few states which have dedicated 100% of its estimated annual $42 million dollar tobacco Master Settlement Agreement funds to health or health-related projects. This critical policy decision coupled with Pennsylvania's health planning process which emphasizes participatory community-based partnerships, building of capacity, and strengthening of evidence-based or informed practice has made possible the initiation of a Latino health movement.

Pennsylvania Department of Health's Minority Health Report of 2002, a follow-up to the State Health Improvement Plan of 1999, and its Comprehensive Cancer Control Report of 2004 clearly outline recommendations for delivering education and services to under-served populations. In 2003, the Pennsylvania Department of Health allocated $2.2 million of MSA funds over 30 months to address minority tobacco issues through a contract with University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Center for Minority Health (CMH). $800,000 of that sum was directed at Latino Tobacco issues through I-LEAD, Inc.. Subsequently, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has been instrumental in bringing resources from federal, private and voluntary organizations to bear on Latino health in Pennsylvania from Latina heart health to door-to-door enrollment of Latinos in tobacco cessation programs. This presentation emphasizes the role of health plan development at the state level girded by participatory processes tapping the strength of numerous community health partnerships, organizations and stake-holders. Abstracts 2 and 3 provide details on specific initiatives.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate a strategy for translating health plan recommendations into action by building system and individual capacity
• Describe how a state health plan and related disease-specific health plans that are developed in a participatory fashion can drive close collaboration across public health system partners – local, state, federal, private – to address complex issues.

Keywords: Latino Health, Access and Services

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation