160398 Community health assessment strategies that influence public policy and systems changes

Wednesday, November 7, 2007: 1:15 PM

Priti Irani, MS , New York State Assessment Initiative, Public Health Information Group, New York State Dept of Health, Albany, NY
Jean Audet, MA , New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Albany, NY
Cate Bohn, MPH , New York State Assessment Initiative, Public Health Information Group, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY
Delton Courtney, MHA , Bureau of Hospitals, New York State Department of Health, Troy, NY
Patricia L. Harrison, MPS, BSN , Washington County Public Health, Hudson Falls, NY
Sabrina Jaar Marzouka, JD, MPH , Department of Health, Dutchess County, Poughkeepsie, NY
Lucy Mazzaferro , Office of Local Health Services, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY
Michael Medvesky, MPH , New York State Assessment Initiative, Public Health Information Group, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY
Marie Miller, MS , Office of Local Health Services, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY
Larry Pasti, MA , New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Plattsburgh, NY
Sue Ellen Wagner, MS , Healthcare Association of New York State, Rensselaer, NY
Vicky Wheaton-Saraceni, BS , Adirondack Rural Health Network, Glens Falls, NY
Five community health assessment strategies that influenced policy, and systems changes in the community will be presented. These will be selected from a pool of strategies identified through interviews with local and state assessment practitioners in public health, health care, mental health and alcohol and substance abuse fields. The presenter will correlate the results to findings identified from a spring 2006 survey among assessment practitioners from local health departments, and their partners. Challenges identified by assessment practitioners, and strategies employed to overcome these barriers will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe three examples that illustrate impact of community health assessments on health policy and/or systems. 2. Identify the role of government in translating assessment information into effective health policy. 3. List at least three strategies used by communities to address challenges in conducting effective community health assessments.

Keywords: Assessments, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.