Sustaining Technical Assistance through Organizational Mentorship: How Community Health Centers Can Cultivate One Another

Background: Newly developing community-based primary healthcare organizations and/or Community Health Centers (CHCs) frequently lack the technical assistance (TA) necessary to create and strengthen critical infrastructure. Informal mentorships between Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (ANHOPI)-serving CHC's have been valuable in providing support to developing CHCs. However, without formal acknowledgement of the partnership, many CHCs experience loss of communication, loss of accountability, and deterioration of relationships over time. Objective: The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) has developed a formal mentorship curriculum that was designed to 1) increase the stability and sustainability of TA provided to CHCs, 2) create and maintain accountability and positive relationships between neighboring CHCs, 3) increase the provision of TA specifically tailored to the ANHOPI community, and 4) provide resources and financial support to conduct critical capacity-building activities. Methods: AAPCHO matched three mentorship teams in Hawaii, California, and the Midwest, based on the organizations' patient population, geographic location, and existing organizational relationships. Teams were asked to engage in a series of standard procedures dictated by the formal mentorship curriculum. Results: In preliminary evaluations, mentor and mentee sites indicated positive reactions to the formalized mentorship program. Levels of accountability and communication increased and the provision of financial support has facilitated critical relationship and capacity building activities. Complete evaluations will be collected by June 30, 2008. Final results will be shared during this presentation. Discussion: Formalized mentorships enable CHCs to receive the TA necessary to maneuver through challenges while simultaneously cultivating relationships with critical community partners.