Lessons learned from utilizing community coalitions to implement activities in the Best Bones Forever! Community Pilot Program

BACKGROUND The Best Bones Forever! Campaign (BBF!) was created by the DHHS' Office on Women's Health to improve bone health knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and behaviors among girls ages 9-14 and their families. The campaign includes national awareness initiatives and pilot interventions in three sites. Community coalitions planned, implemented and evaluated the interventions, including unique, community-specific outreach activities. METHODS Successes and outcomes of activities planned and executed by the coalitions were measured via: 1) Quarterly reports of activities and process evaluation results; 2) A technical assistance log (TA) tracking requests; and 3) Notes from six joint conference calls with community coalitions. RESULTS Quarterly reports displayed that coalitions utilized local resources or partners within their community to implement a combined 29 activities, reaching 1.6M community members. Obtaining evaluation from participants was a challenge at some activities. The TA log indicated that 60% of the utilization occurred during the planning phase and included graphics, media and development support. In conference calls coalitions shared community excitement, media exposure of projects, new programs, ideas about overcoming challenges, new partnerships and advocates. CONCLUSION Many lessons were learned leading to successful community activities in the BBF! pilot. Allowing coalitions, who know the resources of their community, to develop activities leads to a richer implementation. Also providing technical assistance to increase their capacity, and the opportunity for coalitions to share and learn from each other is vital to continued success.