Oral

Access to safe, healthy, affordable, and culturally-appropriate food is a critical component of efforts targeting reduction in health disparities at local, regional, national and global levels, and is a fundamental human rights issue. Understanding the needs of individuals, communities, and organizations, and how best to combine current efforts to address these needs, is the focus of this session. Projects discussed will include the intentional inclusion of underrepresented communities in development and planning of community master plans; illustrations of how those with research expertise can be called-upon to strengthen the ability of programs to communicate successes and to expand their work through collaborative relationships; use of qualitative methods to deepen the understanding of populations being served; and finally, an example of program planning and implementation for a 4 year initiative targeting child health in a city of nearly 3 million.

Session Objectives: 1. Explain the process of developing collaborative relationships to influence community planning initiatives; and 2. Describe methods used to give voice to underserved/underrepresented or lesser understood populations.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)