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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Y. Silvia Walker, RN, MSN/MPH (c) and Nenita Barry, RN, BSN, PHN. Department of Health Services-Public Health, Los Angeles County, 330 W. Maple Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016, 626-301-1938, ywalker@ladhs.org

Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Health Services-Public Health aims to serve the communities with a framework of the Ten Essential Public Health Services. Public health nurses (PHNs) play an integral role in fulfilling the goals of these services. PHNs also are essential in applying community health practices not only on an individual level but also on a systems level. In LAC, some selected PHNs innovatively function to facilitate to provide these public health services as community liaisons. Los Angeles County Service Planning Areas of Metropolitan and San Gabriel Valley established the Community Liaising Program with emphasis of the Essential Public Health Services to inform, educate and empower people about health issues; mobilize community partnerships; and link health and community resources. The community liaison public health nurse (CLPHN) in the San Gabriel Valley interfaces with the field public health nurses, community members, schools, cities, private sectors, faith-based agencies, and other community-based organizations for health promotion and disease prevention by using six strategic components. The six strategic components are 1) community networking, 2) community mobilization, 3) strategic partnering, 4) private sector leveraging, 5) resource development, and 6) policy development. This presentation will illustrate activities of CLPHN in Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley based on the six strategic components by applying the Public Health Nursing Practice Model. An example of activities includes partnership with the San Gabriel Unified School District for the Local Wellness Policy Committee to promote the health of students and to address the growing problems of childhood obesity in line of policy implementation of Senate Bills 12, 281, and 965. One of the goals is to plan for opportunities for schools to create an environment conducive to healthy lifestyle choices. In reaching this goal, the CLPHN and a field PHN will collaborate with the committee to plan and strategize to improve school nutrition and physical education and the environment such as by creating school gardens and increasing availability of fresh fruits and vegetables on campus. Effectiveness of the strategies will be evaluated by body mass index measurements and physical activity levels using Fitnessgram and the School Health Index.

Learning Objectives: