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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Michelle Esterlin, MPH, School of Public Health, Drexel University, 245 N 15th Mailstop 660, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, 215-762-4110, me57@drexel.edu

Background: The United States allocates $1.4 trillion to healthcare, 95% is consumed by direct medical services, while only 5% funds disease prevention and health promotion. Communities that lack financial resources and access to affordable preventive health services are afflicted with higher incidences of chronic health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease. To remedy this financial and social burden resources and interventions are being matched to the community's needs and structure. Objective: An examination of the experiences of Healthy Start (HS) and STEPS to a HealthierUS provide the foundation to inform the future creation and implementation of community health improvement initiatives by the federal government. The resulting framework will present the components that are conducive to the creation of programs that are successful in resulting in health behavior change. Methods: Resources include a review of literature including: STEPS grantee reports and protocols; a review of HS community intervention origination, evaluations, and impact; and interviews with members of STEPS and HS from Philadelphia, PA and four other cities. The data collection will focus on interventions and programs, and the impact of community health risks, barriers, and assets. Results: The current information supports the partnership of community members and organization and the development of a consortium that includes representation from community members, service providers and local government. Conclusion: The recommendation will integrate these findings to identify criteria for the successful development of community health intervention programs based on past and present community programs funded through STEPS and HS.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the lessons learned from Healthy Start
• Identify current STEP to a HealthierUS programming
• Gain an innovative approaches to planning community health programs

Keywords: Planning, Community Health Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered