Communication and Collaboration Between Local Boards of Health and Their Communities: A National Survey

The purpose of the presentation is to address the following questions: (a) How do boards of health receive community input? (b) How do boards of health actively seek community input? (c) Are public forums created for discussion of issues that the board must address? (d) Do boards of health have working relationships with community-based organizations? (e) What are the most productive methods of communication and what issues involving communication can be overcome by innovative collaborations? One of the essential elements of effective local boards of health is the development of novel collaborations across sectors of communities. Local boards of health, populated by leaders in the public health domain, are in a unique position to facilitate the cultivation of such collaborations. A prerequisite to building strong working relationships with various segments of the community is communication. If boards of health have adopted systematic methods for establishing and maintaining effective communication with key constituencies of the community, then a foundation for creating innovative collaborations is present. The 2008 Local Board of Health National Profile produced data that addresses the research questions from a national sample of 870 chairs of local boards of health. Evidence suggests boards of health use somewhat passive methods of communication with their communities. There is substantial evidence that boards of health have collaborative relationships with community-based organizations. To sustain effective working relationships with their communities, boards of health should be innovative when confronting the unique public health problems of the community. Unresolved communication issues are discussed and implications are drawn for creating and evaluating innovative collaborations to help promote resolution.