Communities Working in Partnership: Building Capacity in the Community to Affect Social Determinants of Health Through Policy Change

Introduction: Recognizing the importance of affecting social determinants of health (SDOH) through policy change, Community-Based Organization Partners (CBOP), Genesee County Health Department, and University of Michigan, community-academic partners in Flint, Michigan since 1991, joined in a national project, Communities Working in Partnership Policy/Advocacy Training (CWP) aimed at strengthening the capacity of communities to engage in policy change efforts. Experienced community-academic partners completed training and then applied what they learned to train others in their community.

Methods: Following a two-day train-the-trainers workshop, a broad representation from local groups was invited to a one-day workshop focused on a subset of topics from the original training: power-mapping and advocacy strategies. CWP materials were adapted for local relevance. Follow-up activities included a policy panel of local officials taped for community access TV. These activities contributed to on-going work and new policy efforts.

Results: Twenty-two community-academic leaders completed the train-the-trainers; this cadre conducted the workshop for 24 participants and organized follow-up activities for about 90 attendees. Evaluation results included: increased efficacy to create policy change; broad participation in subsequent policy activities; and catalyzing policy change in education (e.g. electing a CBOP member to the Flint school board and changing nutrition/physical activity policies in Clio schools).

Discussion: This year, CWP-Flint trainers will conduct additional workshops by invitation. They also plan collective advocacy for SDOH changes in the school system. This presentation by CWP-Flint community trainers will discuss lessons learned, e.g. how CWP enhanced the climate for change in a community poised for this kind of work.