Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion (DHWP) Public Health Grand Rounds (PHGR): A substance abuse community outreach resource that tears down the silo approach to treatment

Introduction: PHGR is a collaboration between the DHWP and Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSUSOM) that serves as a community outreach tool sharing information on public health topics with its audience (DHWP staff, community members, and health providers). The topics are based on the National Health Initiative for that given month (April is National Drug Prevention Month) and presented via live seminar by local and national experts. The live seminars are recorded and rebroadcasted on local cable TV and video streamed. Methodology: The audience is encouraged to attend live seminars at the DHWP. Seminars are rebroadcast at least monthly over the next year and are video streamed. CME/CEU's are available for live and distance education. Contacts and resource information are provided. Other initiatives, like Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and Domestic Violence relationship is integrated with substance abuse. Results: Substance abuse information and resources along with related initiatives were shared with the audience since 2007. Community members were encouraged to visit the DHWP and utilize PHGR, other services and resources. Open dialogue is encouraged during live seminars. The audience can review the seminars in their homes on cable TV or the internet. The audience awareness of this initiative and its relationship with others was enhanced. Conclusion: PHGR increases access to the DHWP resources and services by community members and their providers. It is a tool for the audience to address issues surrounding substance abuse from a broader nontraditional prospective, potentially eliminating silo and encouraging a more comprehensive integrative approach to substance abuse.