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

Abstract #110975

Donald W. Rowe, PhD, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214-3079, 716-829-3434, dwrowe@buffalo.edu

The Western New York Public Health Alliance began in 1992 as an informal coalition of the Commissioners and Health Directors of the eight county health departments of Western New York to provide an independent forum to discuss issues of common concern including state/local communication, municipal public health services plans, community health assessments, homecare, early intervention, managed care, cost containment and resource allocation etc. The absence of evidenced based, reliable, timely and regionally specific behavioral health data was a concern of the entire health care community. Independently each county health department lacked the resources to undertake a regional data initiative. The eight county health departments agreed to have a single county health department member of the Alliance apply to the New York State Health Department for a “Communities Working Together for a Healthier New York” grant on behalf of all eight counties. The lead county applicant received and administered the grant by subcontracting with each county health department and the university at Buffalo. The lead county, by mutual agreement, received additional funding to provide administrative services to each county. With this funding the Alliance, in collaboration with numerous public and private agencies, developed and administered a regional adult behavioral health risk assessment. Over 98,000 random digit dialed calls were made across the region. The results of the survey were analyzed and used in the preparation of community health assessments, hospital services plans and the “State of the Region” report. The survey was recommissioned in 2004 with funding from the Health Resources Services Administration and the Community Foundation for Western and Central New York.

In a second project, the Alliance worked with managed care organizations to develop the “Physician Guide to Public Health: Partners in Keeping People Well”. Over 2000 copies were distributed to health area provider throughout the region. The publication is in its second edition.

Success bred trust, which culminated in the establishment of the Regional Office of Emergency Public Health Preparedness after the tragedy of 9/11. Each county health department received funding from the New York State Health Department to develop comprehensive health emergency operations plans. However, there were insufficient resources to accomplish the task. Each county health department voluntarily decided to contribute 1/3 of its funding to the development of Regional Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness. A single county was selected to administer the funds. This Office provides services to each of the counties that independently, none of them could have afforded including enhanced regional epidemiology, specialized medical assistance response teams, regional exercise coordination and communications.

In 2004, the Alliance received funding from the Community Foundation of Western and Central New York to explore not for profit status as a 501C.3 agency. By September 2004 the Alliance was incorporated. The proposed membership organization will expand the membership and scope of the Alliance, through the inclusion of hospital, physician, community based organizations and academic institutions that will enable access to previously ineligible funding sources. Not for profit status is expected in 2005.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session the participant will be able to

• articulate the chronology of organizational development
• adapt the model for local use
• list three successes of the Alliance
• describe how business is conducted
• describe how the Alliance leveraged resources
• develop inter agency trust

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