In this assignment, you will create a public health system resource document. It will contain key information needed to create a plan of action for a collaborative public health outreach initiative in a local community. This type of document is something you (and others) could use as an on-the-job resource. A public health system resource document helps you to keep track of possible local organizations, people, or entities that could support your health issues now or in the future. In fact, keeping an active public health system resource document allows you to add new possible public health system resources as new stakeholders enter the profession. Because collaboration with people and agencies is key to supporting your health initiatives, it is important to organize community people and organizations that might be able to support your ongoing needs for public health in your community.
You have the choice of using the data from the state of Nevada’s Department of Health and Human ServicesLinks to an external site., or a community of your choice, as the basis to identify a disadvantaged, diverse population and a community-based health issue affecting that population. The important thing is that you can research data specific to the community and issue you are seeking to address. Keep in mind that an on-the-job resource will be more relevant if you focus the scope of your research and work on a specific county, city, or area served by your current place of practice. In other words, it is inadvisable to try to research and address this issue at a state level or higher.
Format your document based on your own needs. You could create a table in Excel or in a Word document—choose a format that works for you and your professional setting.
Note: Think broadly, beyond the academic setting. Create as if your coworkers will find this a great resource. If the way in which you format this document is something you think provides an advantage over other types of documents, make a note to your instructor about why you selected that style and how the format will make it easier for others to use.
Real-World Scenario
Using your selected population and community-based health issue as a focus, imagine that you are tasked to assemble such a resource as described above. You will present it to your supervisor, who will ultimately distribute it to a public health team for review. In this type of real-world scenario, you are expected to create a one-page memo or e-mail to your workplace supervisor. It will summarize the result of your work and any recommendations for what will be valuable to the team.
You will be graded on how well you accomplish the following:
Use appropriate public health resources to obtain current data about a public health issue in a specific community or locale.
Identify local and national public health organizations currently addressing a specific health issue.
Describe systems thinking tools that could prove useful in addressing a public health issue.
Describe how public and private partnerships work together to address a specific public health issue.
Address all components of the prompt and use the assignment description to structure text.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references.
Step 1: Data Gathering
Use the Capella library and the Internet to gather this information. A number of excellent resources are already provided in your studies.
You will need to collect data related to the following categories:
Place and Organization: The community of interest and the host organization.
Health Issue of Concern: A disease or injurious situation.
Demographics: Populations affected and incidence or prevalence trends.
Resources: Data on health professionals, institutions, and funding.
Stakeholder Groups: Listing of key resources and advocacy groups.
Create a document that is designed to be used by your coworkers as a resource.
Step 2: Memo
Summarize your findings in a memo to a workplace supervisor. You are encouraged to use the style and format of a professional memo from your workplace for this document. If you are not working at this time, find an example of a professional memo on the Internet and use that as your format guide.
Your memo should summarize what you have found and how your organization could best use that information. Include the application of systems tools for taking advantage of resources that exist related to the identified health issue and the potential for interagency collaboration.
3-page table of data.
Memo: One double-spaced page in length, not including title and reference pages.
