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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Celia Gomes McGillivray, RN, MPH, CHES, Rhode Island Health Center Association, 235 Promenade Street, Suite 104, Providence, RI 02908, Burton W. Wilcke, PhD, Vermont Public Health Association, University of Vermont, 302 Rowell, Burlington, VT 05405, 802.656.3811, burton.wilcke@uvm.edu, and Lynn Abrahamson, MPH, RN, Connecticut Public Health Association, 144 Farnham Avenue, New Haven, CT 06515.

The New England Affiliates (Region I) of the American Public Health Association regionally have initiated several strategies to: increase collaboration; leverage state association resources; contribute to advocacy efforts; and assist each other with infrastructure needs by sharing best practices around governance, membership recruitment, public relations, financial management, and continuing education. Since the fall of 2005, Region I Affiliates have had two face to face meetings, three conference calls, designed and completed a regional survey, and identified regional strategies to work for 2006 – 2007. Region I believes that through such collaboration each Affiliate can increase and strengthen its own internal operations while developing opportunities for regional advocacy efforts.

The overarching goal of the Region 1 APHA affiliates is to identify and develop regional strategies to address public health association issues. To do this, the group agreed that it is important to: promote greater understanding of each affiliate and its organizational structure; enumerate and distribute the organizational priorities of each affiliate; compile information on the organizational structure and association relationship of each New England state health department; advance our knowledge of partnership and leadership development; provide educational/networking opportunities on a variety of association and public health initiatives; and enhance our advocacy efforts to promote comprehensive public health services throughout the New England region. Region I Affiliate Association leadership agreed to discuss with its board, staff and other supporters the role and value of Regional Affiliate collaboration. The results of these discussions helped to clarify and sharpen our strategic planning process during meetings.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session participants will be able to

• Describe the kind of collaboration that takes place on a regional basis with APHA affiliates.
• Name the roles of each APHA affiliate in Region I and why collaboration is important.
• Name the 5 strategies that Region I Affiliates used to build a collaborative relationship.
• Understand how survey results of Region I APHA Affiliates can contribute to building consnsus.

Keywords: Committee of Affiliates, Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered