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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Nesly Metayer, EDM¹, Rebecca R. Cheezum, MPH², Eustache Jean Louis, MD, MPH¹, Riché C. Zamor, MS, MPH, PhD³, Marquest Laforest, MSW², and Frantz Louiza². (1) Center for Community Health Education and Research, 420 Wahington Street, Dorchester, MA 02124, 617-265-0628, nmetayer@ccher.org, (2) Research Department, Center For Community Health Education and Research, Inc., 420 Washington Street, Dorchester, MA 02124, (3) Catholic Charities, 185 Columbia Rd., Boston, MA 02121

Over the years the boundaries of community public health and community development has become very thin. For a recent immigrant group, community public health often takes the form of community development and community building.

Funded by Center for Disease Control, the Metro Boston REACH 2010 HIV Coalition led by the Center for Community Health, Education & Research, (CCHER) was formed in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts-Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission, six local Haitian community based organizations and two medical health centers serving Haitians inside and outside of Boston.

Four years in the implementation of this comprehensive intervention, the community leadership on HIV has gained significant strength in community building and community development. The development of a community infrastructure is a effective mechanism to build partnership among all sectors of a community and reach a level of endorsement by all parties. This infrastructure overtime is called to serve as broker to deal with major community issues including youth violence, economic opportunity and other health related issues. The Metro Boston Capacity Building learning team has branched to develop a comprehensive needs assessment of the Greater Boston Haitian Community.

Community Mobilization could be a powerful for community public health initiative and often could serve as a platform for community building and community development. The Metro Boston REACH 2010 has reconciled the field difference between public health and community development while at the same time it has provided a proven infrastructure to deal with other health issues.

Learning Objectives:

• Developing mechanism for community infrastructure
• Learn how to deal with distrust and uncooperative behaviors

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Community Planning

Related Web page: www.ccher.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No