Transcript Slide 1

Collegiate Health Service Corps
“Connecting Students to Careers,
and Communities to Better Health”
CONNECTICUT AHEC’S
MISSION
“The mission of the Area Health Education
Center’s program is to enhance access to
quality health care, particularly primary and
preventative care, by improving the supply
and distribution of health care professionals
through community and educational
partnerships.”
WHAT IS CHSC?
The Collegiate Health Service Corps is a three
tiered training program for undergraduate college
students and provides placements in health based
service learning projects.
Benefits of CHSC…
Undecided students likely to enter health fields.
Students build resumes with leadership and
community service projects.
Students more likely to continue work with
marginalized populations.
CHSC MISSION
To prepare undergraduate students for
service learning experience that provides
health education and screenings to
underserved populations.
To specifically target freshmen, undecided
students, and those interested in health care
fields in order to expose them to various
health careers.
CHSC Objectives
To build a bridge between medically
underserved populations and students.
To have students provide outreach,
education, health screenings and needs
assessments.
To build relationships with essential
community partners for collaborative efforts.
CHSC Service Learning
Essential Program Components
Curriculum Modules…
Eliminating Health Disparities
Professionalism and Ethics
Health Promotion and Health Education
Core Training… 4 hour highly interactive workshop,
25 hours of Service Learning, 2 hours of
Reflection
Intermediate Training… First Aid Certification, 25
hours of Service Learning, 2 hours of Reflection
Advanced Training… CPR Certification, 25 hours of
Service Learning, 2 hours of Reflection
Cultural Competency
“Cultural competency is a set of attitudes, skills,
behaviors and policies that enable organizations
and staff to work effectively in cross-cultural
situations.”
“It reflects the ability to acquire and use knowledge
of health-related beliefs, attitudes and
communication patterns of clients and their
families ….to improve services, strengthen
programs, increase community participation and
close gaps in health status.”
(Lavisso-Mourney & Mackenzie, 1996, p.919)
Unique Role of Health Education
Outreach Leaders…
“Outreach can be defined as an intentional
process of building relationships in a
community in order to facilitate access to
information, education, services and
support for addressing health concerns.”
BARRIERS TO GOOD HEALTH
Cultural Factors:
Language
Cultural Norms
Informal Healthcare
Minimal Health Literacy
Cultural factors may diminish likelihood to accept
information provided
Lack of understanding of wellness
BARRIERS TO GOOD HEALTH
Literacy
Limited literacy in native language
Limited literacy for English speakers
Lack of health literacy
Living Conditions & Poverty
Legal status and distrust leads to “Fear of the System”
Initial experience with health care system may have been
uncomfortable and displeasing.
Desire for healthcare is counteracted by belief in
inaccessibility to healthcare system.
BREAKING THE BARRIERS
Providing Material and Information that is
Culturally Relevant
Integrating culture into the health message and
materials (i.e. nutrition and food options)
Assuring medical services will not threaten
their legal status
Promoting “good health” is not just the absence
of illness
Promoting the concept of primary care
Utilizing Interpreters
University of Connecticut School of
Medicine
MIGRANT FARM WORKER CLINICS
Six WCSU students participated in the
clinics delivering health education completing
60 hours of combined service learning.
Yinnette Espinal became a lead coordinator
and interpreter.
Students conducted screenings of blood
pressure, blood glucose levels and pulse at
the vitals station.
Facts about the Summer Clinics
Connecticut is host to nearly 20,000 Migrant
Farm Workers each year.
The migrant farm worker population represents
some of the most economically disadvantaged
people in the U.S. Three quarters of farm
workers earn less that $10,000/year, and three
out of five families have income below poverty
level.
In 2008, free services were provided to over 500
migrant farm workers at 31 separate clinics. Of
those clients, 242 were provided with counseling
on hypertension, pre-diabetes and diabetes.
UConn Migrant Farm Worker Clinics
Health Education Topics
Osteoporosis & Arthritis
Cardiovascular Disease & Hypertension
Diabetes
Nutrition & Exercise
Cancer Prevention
Dental Care
Vision & Hearing
Emergency Preparedness
Tuberculosis & H1N1
STDs
Musculoskeletal Problems & Back Care
Lyme Disease & West Nile Virus
Pterygium & UVA/B Eye and Skin exposure
DENTAL EDUCATION AT
PRIDES CORNER FARM
“The more involved I became with AHEC, the more I leaned about the issues of Latino
health care. My interest has grown so much that I now will minor in Latino Studies and
Master in Public Health.”
BACK SAFETY EDUCATION AT
PLANT GROUP FARM
“After volunteering at the farms for two semesters, I’ve come to realize that it’s important
to learn Spanish, now I plan to minor in it.”
NUTRITION EDUCATION AT
PLANT GROUP FARM
“It helped me learn how to take a broad topic and pinpoint the more important parts
to give people a greater understanding.”
BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS
AT PLANT GROUP FARM
“It really opened me up to the issues that concern the world now and has made me
want to volunteer and help out the community.”
COVENANT SOUP KITCHEN
NUTRITION EDUCATION AT
COVENANT SOUP KITCHEN
“Professionally, this program helped me grow as a person in a more positive way, and
besides it looking great on a resume, the program allowed me to focus on networking, to
implement the use of Spanish language, and making new friends.”
DIABETES AND BMI EDUCATION
AT COVENANT SOUP KITCHEN
“The
soup kitchen was an eye opening experience and solidified my desire to
become a doctor.”
HEALTH LITERACY
NUTRITION EDUCATION
“I
feel as though I gained a lot from this experience, both in my ability to communicate
with people that I didn’t know, as well as learning the importance of health education as
a preventative tool.”
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
GLOW-GERM ACTIVITY
“I have changed from someone with little experience working with this population to
someone with a passion for the access to healthcare and information for the
underserved.”
HEALTH LITERACY
CHILD DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
“This has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I would not change it
for anything.”
CHSC at West Conn
Currently there are 23 core trained service-learners
An Official CHSC Club has been established.
Brandon Litwin is the current President.
Many of the students are from the Danbury area.
Six regular volunteer sites established in the greater
Danbury area
Three Service Projects completed in 2008-2009
Service Learning Sites
YMCA Children’s Center
Bethel Health Care (senior care)
The Homesteads of Newtown (senior care)
Hispanic Center of Danbury
Primetime House (psychiatric group home)
Federal Correctional Institute of Danbury
2008-2009 Service Projects
Youth Empowerment Conference April ’09:
Youth Reacting to AIDS Project
Sponsor: Interfaith AIDS Ministry
Medical Reserve Corps Training
disaster relief & emergency triage
March 2009: Women’s Health Month
WCSU Majors Represented
Biology, Biochemistry & Chemistry
Pre Health Professions: Occupational
Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nursing and
Physician Assistant, Medicine & Dental
Medicine
Community Health, Elementary Education,
Business Management, Psychology,
History and Communications
Achievements of 2008-2009
635 combined total service learning hours
Summer Participation in Migrant Farm
Worker Clinics of the UConn School of
Medicine summed 60 service learning
hours.
An Official CHSC Club was established.
Work-study money is available for
students who qualify.
CHSC service learning had an impact on…
90% of students believed their original perspective of
population served had changed.
100% of students believed CHSC increased their ability to
make a difference in the lives of those served.
100 % of students believed CHSC had an influence on their
understanding of how poverty impacts health.
100% of students would recommend CHSC to a Friend.
70% of students are interested in taking a leadership
position in the CHSC Student Group.
Goals for 2009-2010
Increase West Conn Student Participation
Expand Service Learning Sites and Projects
Increase the total number of service learning hours
and the number of Intermediate and Advanced
Trained Students
Participation in the Poster Presentations at the
November College Corps Symposium at the UCONN
School of Medicine
Succeed at Supporting West Conn Students in
application to Health Professions Graduate Programs
Investigate Web-based training and the introduction
of social networks to enhance the quality of
participation and acceleration through the program
CONTACT INFORMATION
Northwestern Connecticut AHEC
Amy Riviere, Regional Coordinator
530 Middlebury Rd Suite 212 B
Middlebury CT, 06762
P: 203-758-1110
F: 203-758-1193
E: [email protected]
www.nwctahec.org