Health Behavior and Health Education (HBHE) Community Diagnosis Papers

User Collection Public

Community Diagnosis (community assessment) is the foundation for improving and promoting the health of community members. The role of community assessment is to identify factors that affect the health of a population and determine the availability of resources within the community to adequately address these factors.

Prior to Fall 2009, students pursuing a masters degree through the Health Behavior and Health Education department at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health enrolled in “Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis,” a course which required students to get involved in communities to determine — or diagnose — the public health issues of that particular...

Works (79)

21. Raleigh youth well-being, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: Raleigh youth well-being, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Rupert, Douglas, Haley, Danielle, Havens, Betsy, Massie, Sara, Sally, Laura, and Gilchrist, Jennifer
Date of publication:: 2005
Abstract Tesim:: The Wake County Mental Health Association (MHA) is a the local affiliate of the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), an organization that works to improve the mental health of all Americans, especially the 54 million individuals with mental disorders, through advocacy, education, research and service. The Wake County MHA invited a team of six students from the UNC School of Public Health in Chapel Hill, NC to conduct an Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) to investigate the underlying factors that contribute to the well-being of middle school students in Raleigh. This approach was chosen to meet the needs of a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in the well-being of middle school youth in Raleigh—for example, while the MHA was interested in gaining insight into mental wellness services and programs desired by students and parents, our team also investigated the broader challenges related to general youth well being (i.e., parent-teen communication and peer pressure), in order to inform the efforts of a more diverse range of community organizations in Raleigh. The goal of an AOCD project is to investigate the strengths and challenges of a particular community by immersing oneself in the community and by speaking with key informants both inside the community (i.e., parents and students) and outside, yet linked to the community (i.e., service providers). The AOCD process culminates with a community forum in which community members and service providers discuss the project findings in order to develop action steps which address challenges. The forum also provides the team a formal venue in which to turn ownership of the project over to the community. Accordingly, with support and guidance from two MHA-affiliated community preceptors and a teaching team comprised of UNC faculty, our team entered the middle school community in October 2004, and held a community forum at Carnage Middle School in April 2005. Our team identified the strengths and challenges of middle school students by conducting interviews and focus groups with three sets of key informants—service providers, parents, and middle school students. Overall the team conducted a total of 18 interviews and 9 focus groups, making contact with a total of 60 individuals. Following a thorough review and comprehensive analysis of all interview transcripts, our team identified 13 key strengths and challenges of middle school students in Raleigh. Community members and service providers on a planning committee narrowed those themes down to the six issues they viewed as most important and most changeable. These included (1) mentoring and positive role models, (2) engaging in after school programs, (3) positive and negative peer pressure, (4) communication between teens and adults, (5) access to information about sex, and (6) parental involvement. Guided by a community-based planning committee, our team organized a community forum entitled “Celebrating the Middle School Community,” held on April 26th from 5:30 – 8:00 pm at Carnage Middle School in southeast Raleigh. Sixty-eight community members and service providers attended the forum. Following the introduction of the AOCD process and findings, attendees joined small group discussions surrounding each theme, which generated action steps for future initiatives. The main body of this document identifies all action steps and related discussion in great detail. This AOCD document is intended to serve as a resource to stakeholders in Raleigh’s middle school community, including students, parents, and service providers. It is our team’s hope that the resources presented within will contribute to the existing knowledge that impacts the well being of middle school youth, through both formal and informal structures in the community. It has been the team’s privilege to interact with so many impressive youth, parents, and service providers in Raleigh, and to observe first hand their commitment and passion for promoting environments in which youth can thrive through the middle school years. We hope that those who are interested in addressing some of the challenges that impede youth well being will find this document a useful starting point and a catalyst for new action.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/d30y-2e72
Extent:: v, 42 pages, 60 unnumbered leaves : illustrations, map ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2005
Keyword:: Raleigh (N.C.), Adolescent Health Services, Community Health Services, Child Health Services, Health Status, North Carolina, Wake County (N.C.), Socioeconomic Factors, and Community Mental Health Services
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: , Wake AHEC, and North Carolina Farmworkers Health Program
Person:: Shirah, Kate, Eng, Geni, Robinson, Adam, Horna-Guerra, Fiorella, Rupert, Douglas, Haley, Danielle, Havens, Betsy, Massie, Sara, Sally, Laura, and Gilchrist, Jennifer
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_60

22. Roxboro, Person County : a community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection

Title Tesim:: Roxboro, Person County : a community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection
Creator:: Blakeney, Natasha, Maier, Hailey, Shain, Lara, Becker, Millie, Geissinger, Anne, and Gierisch, Jennifer
Date of publication:: 1999
Abstract Tesim:: A group of six, first year Masters students from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education (HBHE) conducted a community diagnosis of the city of Roxboro. A Community Diagnosis involves working with a community in order to discover its strengths and assess areas that may need future attention. Information about the community is compiled through a review of previously gathered data and by talking with residents and service providers about what it is like to live in their community. This is a seven-month process, which is a requirement of Masters students in the HBHE Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Community Diagnosis process initially focused on collecting and summarizing pre-existing data also called secondary data. Sources of secondary data include but are not limited to census data, maps, previously existing documents and newspapers. Each of these sources provided a broader understanding of life in Roxboro. This information also allowed the community diagnosis team to define and describe the geography (location), history, economy, health status and sociodemographic characteristics of Roxboro. Although these data sources are extensive, there are some notable limitations. For example, the most recent data available are from 1990 and therefore do not reflect current changes within the county, city and state. Another limitation is that the most current data for Roxboro does not include the increased population and demographic information from newly annexed land in July 1998 (The Courier Times, 1998). After the pre-existing data were compiled and summarized, the qualitative data collection process began and consisted of interviewing community members and service providers. Qualitative data collection was essential in compiling a complete picture of what life is like in Roxboro. Separate interview guides were created for community members and service providers. In total, 36 interviews were completed: twenty-one community members and fifteen service providers. Through these interviews and our continuous presence in Roxboro, we became more familiar with the community and the residents. Community members also became more comfortable and welcoming of us. Located in Person County, Roxboro is an area of approximately 6.45 square miles in the Northern Piedmont. The city is both urban and rural with a population of 7,332 residents that is relatively evenly distributed among African Americans and Caucasians. There is a long history and lineage of the residents. Many families are descendents of those who have lived in Roxboro for hundreds of years. However, the city has also attracted many newcomers. Community members and service providers described Roxboro as a community of many strengths. For example, Roxboro is a safe, small, close-knit, quiet and friendly community; it is a good place to raise your family and flee from the chaos of a larger city. The residents of Roxboro are friendly, warm, down-to-earth individuals who care about their neighbors. One community member summed it up by saying “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, I wouldn’t live anywhere else.” Community members and service providers also expressed some concerns about Roxboro. Suggested areas of improvement included recreation, health services, transportation and Latino services. In February of 1999, with the help of the community and sponsors, the student team held a community forum in which the strengths and concerns of community members and service providers were presented to the community. The purpose of this meeting was to summarize what the team had found through both pre-existing data and interviews. It was also an opportunity for community members and services providers to further develop relationships, and to discuss common goals and future directions. Health and recreation were major areas of concern expressed by those who attended the forum.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/skcj-j275
Extent:: iv, 85 pages, 35 unnumbered pages : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 1999
Keyword:: Public health, Socioeconomic Factors, North Carolina, Roxboro (N.C.), Health Status, and Community Health Services
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Person County Health Department and
Person:: Thomas, Carol, Quinn, Sandra Crouse, Blakeney, Natasha, Maier, Hailey, Shain, Lara, Becker, Millie, Geissinger, Anne, and Gierisch, Jennifer
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_59

23. Rolesville, North Carolina, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: Rolesville, North Carolina, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Hammarth, Ashley, Woodell, Amy, Piltch, Emily, Williams, Tammy, Munro-Leighton, Kristin, and Lyons, Liz
Date of publication:: 2004
Abstract Tesim:: In the fall of 2003 six students from the UNC School of Public Health were requested by Wake County Human Services to work with the Rolesville community through the spring of 2004 to conduct an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD). The team interviewed twenty-five community members and twelve service providers in the area, and then organized a committee of interested residents to plan the Rolesville Community Forum. The Forum was a venue for people to discuss the team's findings and generate ideas about action that can be taken to address the findings. Rolesville has remained small and rural since it was settled during the Revolutionary War, despite being only fourteen miles from Raleigh, the state capitol.1 However, in the last ten years, Rolesville has been undergoing rapid growth and suburbanization, and may see its population increase more than tenfold in the next twenty years.9 This unprecedented growth presents challenges to the generational families of the community, but also creates opportunities for individuals and the community as a whole. In order to effectively confront these challenges and create change, a community must have many assets, and Rolesville certainly does. Among them are: community spirit and dedication to volunteerism, its small size, the town’s emphasis on providing opportunities for youth, particularly through the Parks and Recreation programs, and its vibrant local institutions, such as the churches, EMS, and the Fire Department. Five areas in which community members expressed concern were: Community Identity and Involvement, Diversity and Change, Health and Other Services, Planning Growth, and Traffic. Several overlapping themes emerged among these five concerns, resulting in two overarching themes: rapid growth and the new diversity that growth has brought. The main action step determined at the Forum is for community members, town officials, and church leaders to increase pressure on officials at the state-level to increase funding for the U.S. 401 bypass and services for Rolesville. It was also strongly recommended that the town to diversify its communication channels to publicize town events, meetings, and planning sessions to reach long-time residents, newcomers, and Spanish-speaking residents. Another important action step is to create a public relations or welcoming committee to assist in incorporating newcomers into the community and improve communication between the town government and town residents. Finally, the AOCD team concluded that Rolesville has many resources and strengths that could be mobilized to meet the challenges being brought by exponential growth and changing demographics. With leadership from its town government and its churches, the Rolesville community can embody its motto: “Small town, bright future.”
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/kbsy-5t20
Extent:: 47 pages, 60 pages : illustrations, charts, forms ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2004
Keyword:: Health Status, North Carolina, Public health, Rolesville (N.C.), Community Health Services, and Socioeconomic Factors
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: and Wake County Human Services
Person:: Moore, Karen, Eng, Geni, Petteway, Regina, Woodard, Jeff, Hammarth, Ashley, Woodell, Amy, Piltch, Emily, Williams, Tammy, Munro-Leighton, Kristin, and Lyons, Liz
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_58

24. The Rockingham County senior community assessment : an action-oriented community diagnosis ; findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: The Rockingham County senior community assessment : an action-oriented community diagnosis ; findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Ziarnowski, Karen, Davis, Whitney, Kravitz, Andi, Nielsen, Christine, and Squillace, Carol
Date of publication:: 2007
Abstract Tesim:: The Rockingham County Senior Community Assessment project was conducted from October of 2006 through April of 2007 by a five-member student team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education. The student team worked under the guidance of two preceptors, Brittan Williams, MPH, CHES, of the Rockingham County Department of Public Health, and Debbie Mason, BS, CHES, of Rockingham County Healthy Carolinians. The Rockingham County Senior Community Assessment (RCSCA) was conducted using a health education tool known as Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD). The AOCD process addresses a wide variety of factors in the community that contribute to health, such as social and economic factors as well as community dynamics, with the goal of generating community-owned action steps for positive change. This report presents a synthesis of the multiple steps taken in completion of the RCSCA, beginning with collection and analysis of secondary data that provided an overview of what life was like for seniors in the community. Getting to know the community, or “gaining entrée” to the community itself, was an ongoing process that began with a county tour and continued with team attendance at important community meetings and events. The team also collected primary data through interviews and focus groups with 17 local service providers and 21 community members, who possessed a broad knowledge of community functioning. From this data, the team identified four community strengths and ten community challenges. The strengths were family and senior relationships, religion, caring community, and an abundance of resources available for seniors. The challenges, listed below as theme, or summary, statements, included awareness of services, Alzheimer’s and dementia, transportation, the insurance gap, and streamlining services. Following the analysis of all collected data, the findings were presented to the community through the Rockingham County Senior Community Forum, held on April 20, 2007. Topics explored in-depth were based on identified challenges. The forum marked the end of the student team’s work in Rockingham County and was primarily intended to transfer ownership of findings to the community. Specific action steps for change were generated through a discussion of important themes selected by the Forum Planning Committee: Theme 1: Seniors are often unaware of the services and events that are available to them throughout the county. Action Steps: Initiate a letter writing campaign, working with the Council on Aging and potentially the News and Record, to help make the needs and desires of seniors known. Contact Home Health Care and Caregivers of Rockingham County as a way of spreading awareness to homebound seniors. Contact ministerial groups of Eden and Reidsville to investigate working with church groups to increase service awareness. Theme 2: Although the county offers some mental health services, adequate care does not exist for the growing concerns surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia among seniors and support for their families. Action Steps: Heavily advertise an upcoming information session at the Carolina House of Reidsville for those affected by and those interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s. Acquire a list of county services and distribute at nutrition sites and senior events, specifically the Senior Games, to educate Rockingham County community members about the services that are currently offered in the county for seniors. Theme 3: Given Rockingham County’s geographic layout and the shortage of consistent, low cost transportation, seniors have difficulty using transportation to access services and activities. Action Steps: Include information on available transportation options/rates for seniors from Council on Aging transportation services in the next Center for Active Retirement newsletter. Attend and present information about available transportation options at upcoming meetings with both the Service Providers Network and the Rockingham County Planning Meeting for Services to the Elderly. Call WLOE about a potential radio spot to discuss transportation. Investigate potential advertising options for transportation services in local utility bills. Contact local newspapers and churches to post transportation information in their bulletins. Help create flyers to be distributed to advertise Council on Aging transportation services. Contact the Council on Aging to get information on their transportation services and to discuss collaboration options. Theme 4: Due to age and income restrictions for current health insurance options, seniors may fall into a gap where they do not have sufficient health insurance to cover medical costs. Action Steps: Take this theme to the Rockingham Senior Service Providers meeting. Create a resource guide focusing on insurance issues and advice for seniors. Distribute resource guide at churches, physician’s offices, Meals on Wheels, pharmacies, and through home health services. Create a resource team to present information about resources at local organizations such as churches, Meals on Wheels, pharmacies, and home health services. Vote for candidates who want to address the insurance gap. Theme 5: While many service providers work together efficiently and productively, communication and service delivery is not always streamlined. Action Steps: Contact Region G Agency on Aging to host an online resource. Look into creating a free Rockingham community page, network, and bulletin board online. Create a list of resources that promote, advertise, and publicize events for seniors. Create a senior newspaper. Secure funding for the senior newspaper. Based on the process as a whole, the team makes the following recommendations for future work in the Rockingham County senior community: The term “senior” may include individuals younger than 65, and care should be taken to recognize that some members of the county who are not 65 or older identify themselves as members of the senior community. County demographics are changing, and attention should be paid to the senior members of different ethnic groups, especially the Latino population. Future work with seniors should include a focus on isolated and homebound seniors. Given the number of existing quality services for seniors in the county, efforts should include building upon what is already available. Service providers and community members should place increasing awareness of services and events at the forefront of all efforts. Use of multiple communication methods, including direct mail, the Internet, and radio, will be an important component of raising senior awareness in the future and should be considered in service and health promotion efforts. Grassroots networking among seniors, with the purpose of sharing resources, should be recognized and increased, utilizing the informal ties that already exist. Religion is an important component of life, and church networks should be investigated as a channel for improving life for seniors. Broader participation in the county’s existing senior service provider groups/networks should be encouraged, making coordination key. Collaboration on developed action steps will be crucial in moving towards their successful implementation, especially given the overlap in many of the steps that were developed. This document is intended to be a working document, one that will provide the senior community and senior service providers with a foundation from which to move forward into the future. Background summary, methods used in the RCSCA, detailed findings from the primary data, and a discussion of the forum and resulting action steps are offered in the following pages. The team presents the report with the hope that positive change can be made for the kind, generous, and thoughtful senior residents of Rockingham County and those who work tirelessly to enrich and improve their lives.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/a7fc-6456
Extent:: viii, 143 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2007
Keyword:: Aged, Community Health Services, North Carolina, Rockingham County (N.C.), Socioeconomic Factors, and Health Status
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: , Rockingham County Department of Public Health, and Rockingham County Healthy Carolinians
Person:: Shirah, Kate, Williams, Brittan, Smith, Dionne, Eng, Eugenia, Amell, Jim, Mason, Debbie, Ziarnowski, Karen, Davis, Whitney, Kravitz, Andi, Nielsen, Christine, and Squillace, Carol
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_57

25. Robbins, Moore County : a community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection

Title Tesim:: Robbins, Moore County : a community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection
Creator:: Zysman, Debbie, Taylor, Erica, Argue, Robin, Schowalter, Laurie, Behrman, Alyse, and Adamian, Monica
Date of publication:: 2000
Abstract Tesim:: This document is the product of a community diagnosis of Robbins, North Carolina. A community diagnosis is a process that aims to understand the strengths, challenges, and issues of importance for a community, through a review of existing data and interviews with community members and service providers. The document is intended to serve as a comprehensive resource for Robbins residents to use in order to achieve community goals. It was created by six graduate students in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the School of Public Health, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with the support of FirstHealth of the Carolinas. The community diagnosis of Robbins began in September of 1999 and lasted through April of 2000. The process included three phases. The first phase, secondary data collection, began in the fall of 1999. This phase included the collection of existing data, such as U.S. Census data, economic data, health statistics, and other indicators from local, county, and state sources. To gain an understanding of the town's history and current issues, local newspapers and town documents were also utilized. When possible, information was collected from Robbins, Moore County, and North Carolina for comparison purposes. The second phase of the community diagnosis was the primary data collection, which began in November of 1999 and continued through the spring of 2000. The primary data collection included interviewing community members and service providers highlighting the strengths and challenges of the community. The final phase of the community diagnosis was a community forum (the Northern Moore Community Forum), held in Robbins. This included a presentation to Robbins residents, of the primary and secondary data collected, a discussion among the residents of the findings, and a consideration by the residents of possible solutions to issues presented. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY It was clear that residents have a clear comprehension of issues in the community. Salient issues that emerged from the qualitative data from the interviews almost exactly mirrored the quantitative data collected earlier. Some residents felt that the health issues that the secondary data described were not representative of the same health problems Robbins residents faced, but health problems were not considered a pertinent issue to the town much, if at all. Overall, the secondary and primary data were reflective of each other. Robbins, North Carolina is located in northwest Moore County. The incorporated town of Robbins is one square mile; the Robbins zip code encompasses this area, and several other rural areas surrounding the town. As we began to work in Robbins, we learned that many people define the Robbins area differently. To some, Robbins represents northern Moore County, and includes neighboring communities such as High Falls and Westmoore. Others felt that those communities had their own sense of identity and were separate from Robbins. For the purposes of this document, we chose to define Robbins by its zip code, and include some of the neighboring rural areas. Additionally, we chose to interview people that identified themselves as Robbins residents or service providers in the area. Because of the size of the town, many of the service providers were also residents. There were limitations in the data collection process that are important to consider. Most of the secondary data was only available at the county level; therefore, the secondary data found may not be representative of the town of Robbins. The only source that provided community-level information was the 1990 U.S. Census. However, because the Census is ten years old, the information presented may not be completely descriptive of the community. In an effort to describe changes in the demographics of the community, we utilized current hospital birth records and school enrollment figures. Limitations in the primary data collection include population sample, “social desirability” bias (the tendency to report answers to interview questions that are considered socially desirable), and sample size. Although attempts were made to interview people of all age, racial, and socioeconomic groups in Robbins, it is apparent that the interviews we conducted may not be representative of the entire Robbins community. We were aware of the population growth of Hispanics, but due to language barriers, we were only able to interview four Hispanic individuals. Due to time constraints, we did not conduct a random selection of the community, and so we cannot be assured of representativeness. Additionally, as with any type of social research about delicate issues, it is possible that the answers we were given to certain interview questions were not as accurate as possible; some participants may have tried to give “socially desirable” answers, and some may not have answered to the best of their knowledge due to the fear of being labeled in such a small town (note: confidentiality was assured in all interviews). Finally, our sample size was smaller than we would have liked due to inclement weather in January and time constraints. Because a larger sample size is more likely to be generalized to the whole population of Robbins, this is a considerable limitation. During our interviews, we learned of many of the issues most pertinent to Robbins residents. Community members and service providers enjoyed talking about their town, and described Robbins as a community of many strengths. Residents of Robbins are proud to live in a small, safe, close-knit community, and they feel strong ties to their neighbors. We were repeatedly told that the strength of Robbins is its people. This feeling of community connectedness among the townspeople is illustrated in the community projects that the town has undertaken together. In recent years, Robbins has experienced an influx of Hispanics, and this change has presented a significant challenge to the town. The biggest obstacle posed is the language barrier, and Robbins is working towards solutions to this issue. The schools employ bilingual teachers in an effort to meet this need, and many residents expressed that they would like the opportunity to take Spanish classes. Many community members feel that the Hispanic community is separated from the larger town, and although this division is partially due to language barriers, understanding cultural differences is also a problem the town is trying to address. In the past decade, Robbins has experienced a shift in the town industry. Traditionally a mill town, Robbins is now experiencing growth in the poultry and furniture industries. Still, many residents are leaving Robbins to work elsewhere. Some residents expressed concern that the community will not grow unless more industry and jobs are available in the town. It is possible that Robbins’ children may not return to their hometown to work and raise their families if the lack of employment opportunities continues. Other issues that emerged during our interviews with community members and service providers include housing, education, and health care. Residents remarked about the need for improvements in the quantity and quality of adequate housing in the town. Education was a concern, especially regarding the debate over the consolidation of the middle school and the need to address the issues related to the rise in the Hispanic population within the Robbins school system. The need for more health care providers in Robbins was an issue expressed numerous times by residents, and is a topic that needs further attention in order to offer Robbins more options for convenient health care. At the community forum residents enthusiastically discussed these issues, and many expressed a desire to address the challenges that each poses. Recommendations concerning these issues are highlighted as a means to assist future decisions and solutions for the Robbins community. We hope that the information presented in the following chapters will be a tool to assist with decision making for the present and the future. Robbins is a strong community, built on a foundation of committed citizens dedicated to ensuring a bright future for their town.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/xc3f-a902
Extent:: 74 pages, 50 unnumbered pages : illustrations, 1 map ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2000
Keyword:: Socioeconomic Factors, Health Status, Community Health Services, Public health, Robbins (N.C.), and North Carolina
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: and FirstHealth of the Carolinas
Person:: Quinn, Sandra Crouse, Ballard, Rebecca, Zysman, Debbie, Taylor, Erica, Argue, Robin, Schowalter, Laurie, Behrman, Alyse, and Adamian, Monica
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_56

26. Riley Hill, Wake County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis including secondary data and qualitative data collection

Title Tesim:: Riley Hill, Wake County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis including secondary data and qualitative data collection
Creator:: Smith, Antoine, Merritt, Shara, Nitirat, Pornruedee, and Kil, Natalie
Date of publication:: 2002
Abstract Tesim:: The following is a document describing the qualitative results of an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) in the Riley Hill community of Wake County, North Carolina. Riley Hill is a traditionally rural and African American community bordering the towns of Wendell and Zebulon. The community diagnosis was performed by a graduate student team from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from November 2001 to May 2002. The students were assisted with entry into the community by their assigned preceptor, Kimberlee Clifton R.H.Ed., CHES, Teen-Link Program Coordinator for Lincoln Health Community Center Inc. and Riley Hill community member. Qualitative information regarding community strengths and limitations was obtained through interviews and focus groups from service providers and community members conducted in the Riley Hill community. The collected data was then analyzed based upon community perspective, and is presented in the appropriate sections of this document. Following the completion of the AOCD process, the data was presented to a planning committee composed of community members and service providers who assisted in the development of a Community Forum. The Riley Hill community forum was centered on the utilization and initiation of services at the Riley Hill Family Life Center (RHFLC). The Family Life Center is the only resource/recreation center located within the community. The center is currently in the process of addressing many of the issues identified by local residents and service providers. The planning committee, based upon qualitative data obtained from the AOCD process, and input from FLC program directors, decided to focus on the how areas of Education, Recreation, Health, and Job Skill training were addressed by the FLC. The Community Forum took place on May 13th, 2002 at the Riley Hill Family Life Center. The forum contained an initial presentation by the students presenting the AOCD process and the explaining the themes, which would be discussed during the forum. Following this presentation, participants were broken into self-selected groups on the chosen topics. A small group member facilitated each of the small group sessioins. Following the SHOWED method, these groups were intended to elicit information and promote dialogue between community members and service providers regarding the FLC’s role in the community and the application of the chosen themes to currently available or needed services within the Riley Hill community. After completion of the Community Forum, information gathered from participants was assembled and presented to FLC board members and program directors. The results will be used to formulate action steps for the initiation or revitalization of FLC programs, specifically programs addressing the issues identified by forum participants and qualitative AOCD information. In addition to describing the results of the AOCD process, this document details the findings of the Riley Hill community forum and includes several implications resulting from findings from the AOCD process in general, and the interactions between the students and the Riley Hill community.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/yq1j-eb87
Extent:: 49 pages, lvii : illustrations, map ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2002
Keyword:: North Carolina, Public health, Socioeconomic Factors, Wake County (N.C.), Health Status, and Community Health Services
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: and Lincoln Community Health Center, Inc
Person:: Eng, Eugenia, Moore, Karen, Clifton, Kimberlee, Smith, Antoine, Merritt, Shara, Nitirat, Pornruedee, and Kil, Natalie
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_55

27. Raleigh, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis for people living with disabilities in Raleigh, NC

Title Tesim:: Raleigh, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis for people living with disabilities in Raleigh, NC
Creator:: Boland, Maureen, Mersereau, Darcie, Kunkel, Jill, Mangum, Ayana, Myers, Allison, and Isaacs, Karen
Date of publication:: 2004
Abstract Tesim:: Universal Disability Advocates (UDA) is a grassroots, nonprofit organization in Raleigh, N.C. that advocates for people of all ages and abilities in the community. Through a partnership with the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health, UDA invited a team of six students from the UNC School of Public Health in Chapel Hill, NC to conduct an Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) of people living with disabilities in Raleigh. Two UDA members and two employees of the NC Office on Disability and Health agreed to serve as preceptors and mentors for the project and as liaisons between the students and the community. The team first entered the community in October 2003 and the AOCD process was completed following a community forum held in April 2004. The goal of an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) is to gather, analyze, and summarize the perspectives of community members and service providers in a community for the purpose of creating a complete vision of the community’s strengths, challenges, and existing resources on which to build. The AOCD process is designed to culminate in a Community Forum where all community stakeholders come together to create action steps to improve existing situations. The team in Raleigh began the AOCD process by examining secondary data and attending community meetings and events. The team then conducted 32 interviews and 2 focus groups with service providers, individuals with disabilities, and family members of people with disabilities in Raleigh, and identified recurrent themes raised by interviewees. Following a thorough review of all interview transcripts, the team identified the most frequently recurring issues and strengths (called domains) raised by interviewees. The AOCD team then worked with a planning group of community members and service providers to prioritize the recurrent domains. The most important and changeable issues identified by people with disabilities in Raleigh included: the accessibility and affordability of housing and Raleigh; issues of public transportation in Raleigh, the Raleigh built environment, specifically, the accessibility of sidewalks, parking lots and buildings; community awareness in Raleigh and communication with people with disabilities; the unemployment and underemployment of people with disabilities in Raleigh; and the challenges around obtaining services in Raleigh. Each of these domains was the topic of a small group discussion at the Raleigh Community Forum. The Raleigh Community Forum was held on Monday April 19th from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church on Six Forks Road in Raleigh. Twenty-five community members and service providers attended the forum. After opening remarks, a brief overview of the methodology of the AOCD process and a detailed description of the prioritized issues for discussion, forum attendees divided into small groups. Small group discussions surrounding each domain led to the generation and prioritization of action steps for the future. Action steps resulting from the small group discussion on the accessibility and affordability of housing in Raleigh included: to attend and speak at at least one builders convention to raise awareness about the needs of people living with disabilities and access to affordable, accessible housing; to raise awareness among the general public through publicity and collaborations with existing organizations like Universal Disability Advocates, The Raleigh Mayor’s Committee, Center for Independent Living, and the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University; to include housing information on an existing disability advocacy website now in a design phase; and, to, in the long-term, build a visitable housing complex in accordance with the principles of universal design. Following a discussion on the Raleigh built environment, specifically, the accessibility of sidewalks, parking lots, and buildings, an action step was to form an email group that will arrive at action steps involving collaboration with other organizations. Resulting from a discussion on community awareness in Raleigh and communication issues with health care providers, action steps were to: attend existing community activities, such as health fairs, to increase awareness about this uses; to create a “tips for consumers” brochure focusing on how to advocate for ones’ own health needs; and to continue providing continuing education courses for health care professionals regarding communication with people with disabilities. Action steps resulting from the small group discussion on the unemployment and underemployment of people with disabilities in Raleigh were to: advocate at the state and federal levels by contacting legislators and the governor to ask: Where do people with disabilities fit into your action plans? And is there an action plan for employment for people with disabilities?; to educate the community through existing organizations, to register to vote, and to learn how to effectively advocate for equal employment; and, to educate the community about taking legal action through the Americans with Disabilities Act when necessary. As a discussion of issues of public transportation in Raleigh did not occur during the community forum, no action steps were created. In addition to bringing together Raleigh community members and service providers in communication about the future, the AOCD team involved in this project was particularly interested in the influence of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the presence and functions of community among adults living with disabilities in Raleigh, N.C. Through their research, AOCD team members identified dramatically different views on the existence of a Raleigh community of people with disabilities. This document, which complies information collected through interviews, secondary data sources, and observations of team members, is written with the understanding that the definition of “community of people living with disabilities” used by the team is meaningful and a truth to some, while not believed to exist nor advocated for by others. The definition of a cross-disability community is considered by some to be the critical foundation for continued efforts to secure rights for people living with disabilities. For others, defining people with disabilities as a community is perceived as furthering the historical segregation of this group from the rest of society. For still others, community is defined within the boundaries of one’s own disability and/or geographical or relational factors. This AOCD document is intended to serve as a resource to the people of Raleigh. The document is organized into six sections: an Introduction to the Project, Findings from Secondary Data, Results, Community Forum, Methodology, and Conclusions and Next Steps. The team presents this document in the hope that it will contribute to the existing body of knowledge supporting and advancing people living with disabilities in Raleigh, North Carolina. It has been the team’s privilege to learn from so many people working to make Raleigh a more inclusive community for people with disabilities, and the team hopes the action steps for change generated by the community during this project will compliment existing work or serve as a catalyst for new action.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/wyed-fs62
Extent:: ix, 111 pages : maps, forms ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2004
Keyword:: Community Health Services, North Carolina, People with disabilities, Disabled Persons, Raleigh (N.C.), Socioeconomic Factors, Health Status, and Public health
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: , North Carolina Office on Disability and Health, Center for Independent Living, and Universal Disability Advocates
Person:: Eng, Geni, Luken, Karen, Cummins, Rene, Moore, Karen, Johnson, Fred, Dickens, Pam, Boland, Maureen, Mersereau, Darcie, Kunkel, Jill, Mangum, Ayana, Myers, Allison, and Isaacs, Karen
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_54

28. Pittsboro, adult community members with disabilities, Chatham County, North Carolina : focusing on life with a disability in Pittsboro, NC : an action oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: Pittsboro, adult community members with disabilities, Chatham County, North Carolina : focusing on life with a disability in Pittsboro, NC : an action oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action
Creator:: McMullin, Katherine, Lowman, Amy, Scott, Sally, Brown, Austin, Antilla, Jennifer, and Beard, Ashley
Date of publication:: 2003
Abstract Tesim:: This document is a qualitative report of the findings from an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) focused on persons with disabilities, 18 years and older residing in and/or using services in Pittsboro, North Carolina. AOCD is a process in which the strengths and needs of a community are assessed in order to gain an understanding of the community from the perspective of those that live or work there and then have them identify goals and action steps to move toward achievement of these goals. This AOCD began in October 2002 and was conducted by six graduate students from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Public Health under the direction of two preceptors from the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health (NCODH) and instructors from the Department of Health Behavior Health Education at the UNC School of Public Health. As part of the AOCD process, the team spoke with service providers, community members with disabilities, and community members without disabilities in Pittsboro as well as reviewed secondary data sources. The information gleaned from the interviews, focus groups and other data sources were analyzed and themes were identified. While conducting these interviews and focus groups, it became apparent that the team was speaking with people who had different points of view. The team referred to these points of view as “insider” and “outsider.” Insiders were community members with and without disabilities and the family members of persons with disabilities. The team looked to insiders to supply a perspective of someone familiar with Pittsboro’s history and inner workings. Outsiders were service providers who worked in Pittsboro, or who worked at an agency that served Pittsboro. Although the team realized that some of the outsiders were actually residents of Pittsboro, the team chose to interview these people for their expertise as professionals serving Pittsboro, and for information on how services are delivered; thus they were considered to supply an outsider point of view. The team felt that it was important to examine both the insider and outsider perspectives because, by looking at the experiences and interpretations of persons with different points of views, steps could be taken to begin action on areas where points of view were similar, and discussion could be encouraged in areas where points of view differed. Two categories of themes were identified from the AOCD findings: descriptive themes and active themes. The team noted two themes as being descriptive: strengths, and finance and income. Strengths was considered a descriptive theme because it represented potential resources for the Pittsboro community to tap into as they worked to achieve action steps in prioritized areas. Pittsboro’s overall strengths will be increased through progress in other areas. Finances and Income was also considered a descriptive theme but for slightly different reasons. While all services are affected by finances available, to a certain extent, finances are affected by less changeable forces such as the national economy and budget. The team wanted to ensure that concrete action steps could be developed that did not require an unrealistic influx of funds. Active themes are those where the power to take action lies within the community. Active themes include awareness, attitudes, support, accessibility, activities, housing and transportation. The team hosted a community forum May 1st in Pittsboro. During the forum the community members and services providers extensively discussed two of the active themes: attitudes and support. As a result of the discussions the community identified several action steps for each theme. To address attitudes, the community plans to work within existing committees and organizations to increase representation of community members with disabilities and to work with Pittsboro’s strong faith community to provide outreach and needs assessments for persons with disabilities. To increase support for persons with disabilities, the forum participants plan to investigate resources available to persons with disabilities and update and distribute a resource list of services to persons with disabilities. The support action steps were also directed at utilizing Pittsboro’s strong volunteer community to help persons with disabilities obtain jobs. Another result of the forum was that some of the service providers and community members who attended became better acquainted with one another. Building new partnerships between people will hopefully lead to future collaborative efforts to help Pittsboro better serve community members with disabilities.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/fqf4-jw64
Extent:: ix, 93 pages, 14 unnumbered leaves : illustrations, forms ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2003
Keyword:: Community Health Services, Pittsboro (N.C.), Public health, Health Status, Socioeconomic Factors, and North Carolina
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: North Carolina Office on Disability and Health and
Person:: Luken, Karen, Moore, Karen, Dickens, Pam, Eng, Geni, McMullin, Katherine, Lowman, Amy, Scott, Sally, Brown, Austin, Antilla, Jennifer, and Beard, Ashley
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_53

29. Pittsboro, North Carolina, Chatham County : an action-oriented community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection

Title Tesim:: Pittsboro, North Carolina, Chatham County : an action-oriented community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection
Creator:: Manning, Michelle, Schmal, Susanne, Eckroad, Dana, Pescador, Molly, and McDaniel, Heather
Date of publication:: 2001
Abstract Tesim:: PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY DIAGNOSIS The Chatham Coalition for Adolescent Health and five graduate students from the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the UNC School of Public Health collaborated to conduct this community diagnosis of Pittsboro’s adolescents. The purpose of this community diagnosis was to learn about the health and quality of life concerns of residents of Pittsboro, both adult and adolescent, and the resources and strengths that exist in the town for dealing with these concerns. The community diagnosis process used primary and secondary data to discover and analyze both the concerns and strengths of Pittsboro and its adolescents. INTRODUCTION TO OUR COMMUNITY Pittsboro is a small, semi-rural, Southern town that has been in existence for over 200 years. It is the Chatham County seat, located 35 miles west of Raleigh and 17 miles south of Chapel Hill. The town was founded in 1787 and until recently, the population increased very little. The “quaint” downtown is Mecca for antiques lovers, and features over ten antiques stores. In addition, there are several old-fashioned country stores, and a local farmers market situated in the town fairgrounds. However, while antique shopping and tourism entice many to come to Pittsboro, the cornerstone of the community is the people who live, work, and are educated there. Within the larger community of Pittsboro, we focused on adolescents. These teens, ages 11-18, either live or work in the town of Pittsboro or attend school in the Pittsboro District. While many of the adolescents do not actually live in the town of Pittsboro proper, those who work or go to school in the district are just as much influenced by the resources and activities in Pittsboro as are those who live there. This is particularly the case with after-school activities and the county health, educational, and recreational resources that are within reasonable distance of the schools and places of employment. Because we were working in Pittsboro with the Chatham County Coalition for Adolescent Health, it was not difficult to identify teens as our target population. The challenge came in determining which adolescents to include: only those who live within the city limits or residents as well as those who go to school or work in town. Through communications with our preceptor and the service providers we interviewed, it became clear that including the teens who come into Pittsboro daily, for school or work, along with teen residents was necessary since they all have access to the various county departments and other resources in the town and convene at local places such as convenience stores and restaurants. While adolescents are an integral part of Pittsboro, they are a group that tends not to have a collective voice. In addition, it became apparent from the interviews that we conducted that there are several issues facing the entire Pittsboro population that have both direct and indirect effects on the adolescent community. In particular, the growing number of businesses turning teens away, the lack of funding for a city-run recreational center, and the community’s lack of awareness about the existing Teen Center have precluded the ability of teens to convene in a single setting or come together around organized activities. According to one service provider, the consequence is that teens have lost their sense of community and are increasingly prevented from gaining it back. Hence, while we have defined Pittsboro as our community and teens as our focus within that community, the teens may not, in fact, sense that they belong to it. Our intent through this community diagnosis is to help Pittsboro recognize the strengths and needs of its teens and take ownership over the issues relevant to them in order to help the adolescents find their own voice and role within the larger community.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/r6yz-mw63
Extent:: 65 pages, 30 pages : illustrations, map ; 28 cm
Graduation Year:: 2001
Keyword:: Community Health Services, Pittsboro (N.C.), Socioeconomic Factors, Public health, Health Status, and North Carolina
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Chatham County Health Department and
Person:: Hitt, Maria, Eng, Geni, Ackerman, Sara, Manning, Michelle, Schmal, Susanne, Eckroad, Dana, Pescador, Molly, and McDaniel, Heather
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_52

30. Orange County homeless community : Orange County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps

Title Tesim:: Orange County homeless community : Orange County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps
Creator:: Stephens, Erin, Kohnowich, Sasha, Larwa, Jennifer, Brown, Andre, and Davis, Rebecca
Date of publication:: 2006
Abstract Tesim:: From September 2005 to April 2006, a five-member team of graduate students from the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill conducted an Action-Oriented Community Assessment (AOCA) in Orange County, North Carolina of persons who are homeless in the county. An AOCA examines the quality of life, community capacity, and strengths and needs of a community. The purpose of this process is to include community members and service providers in identifying the needs and challenges of the community, as well as the strengths and resources, which may influence the development of effective interventions. Two preceptors affiliated with the county’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness, Billie Guthrie, Housing Coordinator at OPC Area Program, and Stan Holt, Homeless Coordinator at Triangle United Way, guided and mentored the students throughout the entirety of the project. The students volunteered, attended committee meetings, reviewed secondary data, and conducted in-depth interviews with 32 community members, 16 of which have experienced or are experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the student team collaborated with J-Quad & Associates LLC, a consulting firm that had been hired to assist the community in composing the Ten-Year Plan. They transcribed and analyzed 12 focus groups conducted by J-Quad as well as the 32 interviews. This information was used to identify the community’s most common reoccurring themes. The students presented its findings at a community forum held on April 27, 2006, at A.L. Stanback Middle School in Hillsborough, North Carolina. For the forum, the student team worked to bring together homeless/formerly homeless community members, service providers, and other residents to address the how the community can work together to address homelessness in the most valuable way. The immediate action steps and long-term recommendations for the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness that were generated at the forum are listed below: Lack of affordable housing, combined with non-livable wages, creates a barrier to ending the cycle of homelessness. Action Steps: 1. Develop an incentive program for those in the private sector which will encourage them to create more affordable housing units. In exchange for funding a percentage of affordable units or giving money to an authority for affordable housing, businesses will be allowed to build more expensive units. 2. Generate a list of key business people and policy makers (aldermen, town council, John Edwards/Poverty Center) who should be invited to the meeting. 3. Invite those individuals to a meeting to propose the incentive program. 4. If adequate interest in the program is expressed at the meeting, contact the media to publicize the plan. Recommendations: 1. Increase the minimum wage. 2. Change zoning requirements to allow for more affordable housing units. 3. Form an authority to manage affordable housing units in the private sector. 4. Create more flexible eligibility criteria for affordable housing units and rental subsidies. 5. Secure more funding for cooperative housing models like Weaver Community Housing which generate their own income. 6. Revisit the definition of “affordable housing” in ordinances to consider those that live below 80% of the area median income. Inadequate access to essential resources creates a barrier for homeless persons to secure jobs. Action Steps: 1. Generate a list of telecommunications providers (Verizon, Cingular, etc) in the area. 2. Research potential options (used cell phones, prepaid cell phones, donation of minutes. 3. Approach these businesses and ask for donations. Also discuss what they are willing to contribute to the effort and what they may gain in return (good publicity etc.). People who are homeless do not have relevant skills training and employer support to become employed, remain employed, and plan for the future. Action Steps: 1. Seek out funding for educational expenses. 2. Work with Community Resource Court to clear criminal records. 3. Provide home business training resources. 4. Explore if it is possible to set aside a certain number of jobs for the homeless and look into developing an inter-departmental study of homelessness at UNC. Recommendations: 1. Develop resource manual of community services available (including self-employment training). 2. More computers with internet access at the shelters. 3. Job program for homeless that sets aside jobs for the homeless. Inadequate transportation services create a barrier to sustaining employment and accessing services. Action Steps: 1. Identify resources and create community resource guide for transportation in Orange County. 2. Help to obtain transportation through auctions held by the police departments in the state. Recommendations: 1. Subsidize shuttles vans for the shelters. 2. Access state cars through auctions to be assigned to the shelters. 3. Provide additional funding to shelters to allow money to be set aside for transportation. Stereotypes of homelessness create tension between homeless persons and the surrounding community. Action Steps: 1. Create action group that works to increase community awareness of the individual faces/stories of homelessness. The group will decide on the format of the message, and collaborate with various community groups (media, civic, church, university, restaurants) to help educate the community and encourage participation. 2. Each group member commit to volunteering and/or 1:1 time with people experiencing homelessness. Recommendations: 1. Educate the public on the individuality of homelessness. Community partnerships need to be strengthened to ensure successful service provision. Recommendations: 1. Compile a master list of providers and services provided specifically for homelessness issues. 2. Make the Orange Book more accessible and user friendly (change from pdf format to something more searchable). 3. Recommend creation of a “hub”, or one place to go for resources. Services are available, but only to those who are regularly using or know how to navigate the service delivery system. Therefore, many who are homeless “slip through the cracks.” Action Steps: 1. Create a bilingual pocket-sized resource guide for homeless persons, with a version with pictorial representations to accommodate those with lower literacy. Recommendations: 1. Increase outreach workers who can establish informative relationships with persons who are not connected to services. Use case managers or train those formally homeless, students, and community volunteers to do the outreach. Homeless individuals’ unique ways of achieving success are often limited by standardized eligibility requirements and delivery structures. Recommendations: 1. Create an advocacy program, incorporating volunteers, to support community members as they seek services. 2. Increased innovative/flexible funding, potentially through community fundraising, to provide specialized services not included in grants or federal funding. 3. Increase communication among service providers to increase knowledge of existing services, decrease work-related frustration, and facilitate supportive relationships. The lack of collaboration in discharge planning and a lack of appropriate facilities burdens service providers and limits success for the homeless population. Action Steps: 1. Have service providers who are using the housing first model or a model similar to the housing first model, document their outcomes both successes and failures and report back to other service providers possibly at a Community Initiative meeting. 2. Have service providers to document inappropriate discharges and send their concerns to their legislatures. Recommendations: 1. Have training for service providers about the housing first model. 2. Make more efforts to support Club Nova because it is a successful housing first model and it is facing hard times. 3. Discharge people into more stable and rehabilitative environments that shelters cannot always provide; however, there is a lack of these places. 4. Create more affordable and transitional housing for people to be discharged to. 5. The county needs to focus their resources on high risk individuals who consistently utilize institutions to help them become more stable and prevent them from returning to these institutions. More prevention strategies are needed that target families and individuals at risk of becoming homeless. Action Steps: 1. Speak to key players about raising the living wage. 2. Have the new Boys and Girls Club work with children in foster care to give them a positive environment to interact in and provide mentors. Recommendations: 1. Adjust the city and county’s living wage to be more livable. 2. Identify high risk individuals and get them comprehensive/wrap around services. Possibly create teams of church members and service providers to work together to help out individuals so that no one person or organization is not stretched too thin allowing them to pool their resources. 3. Create transitional housing for people who are being discharged from certain institutions who need more structure before trying to live on their own. 4. Ensure foster children stay connected to services as they “age out.” 5. Strengthen emergency services need to help people out with rent, utilities, car, etc. 6. Offer financial classes or counseling to people about how to budget their money. In addition to these action steps and recommendations, this document provides information gathered through secondary data sources, one-on-one interviews, community focus groups, and community observations by the student team. Ideas about homelessness and how the county can address it were varied in some respects, but many common viewpoints were identified. In a county with an abundant amount of resources, the team found that most of the tools needed to address the issue are present. However, it will require a united effort to properly use those tools and reduce homelessness in the county. This AOCA document is meant to serve as a catalyst to change within the community. It presents an overview of the project, overview of the problem, findings from primary and secondary data sources, the methodology and limitations of the data collecting process, an overview of the community forum, and conclusions and recommendations for next steps of action. It is the hope that the next steps of actions in this process will begin to eliminate the culture of reliance on the shelter system by those who are homeless. The student team presents this document as a resource and reference for the citizens of Orange County and hopes that it will serve as a supplement and compliment to the work already underway in addressing the issue of homelessness. The student team thanks the people of Orange County, North Carolina for all of their dedication and wishes them much success as they continue to strive to end homelessness in the county.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/ss5f-5a38
Extent:: 119 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2006
Keyword:: Health Status, Homeless Persons, North Carolina, Orange County (N.C.), Socioeconomic Factors, and Community Health Services
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: , Triangle United Way, and OPC Area Program
Person:: Eng, Geni, Shirah, Kate, Holt, Stan, Guthrie, Billie, Stephens, Erin, Kohnowich, Sasha, Larwa, Jennifer, Brown, Andre, and Davis, Rebecca
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_51