Assesing National Health Budgets

The first phase of training includes the review of existing research and data related to maternal and child health including the racial and ethnic disparities, neighborhood and community risk factors and the role of social factors in improving health. The training will provide a forum for exploration of new paradigms, and new ways of approaching some of the complex and long-lasting issues related to improving maternal and child health for all populations.

Participants will be able to use information and skills presented during the session strengthen MCH programs, and hone their skills and work towards becoming MCH champions.

Participants will be able to apply their skills attained/honed during the session by training other members of their team, thus fostering multidisciplinary approaches to public health problem solving.

The session will be guided by these 3 core principles.

Social Capital

Social capital builds community strength and well being by allowing persons and communities to mobilize greater resources and achieve the common good. These qualities are often described as social connectedness, social trust and community identity.

Community Building

Community building is the process of improving the quality of life in a neighborhood by building capacity in neighborhood institutions, strengthening ties among residents, and developing individual capacities in order to work individually and collectively toward neighborhood change.

Social Justice

The pursuit of good health is both an obligation and a right. Fairness and equity are important to health because maintaining normal functioning contributes to opportunities for all and the fair distribution of goods.