MAPP Technical Assistance Webcast Series Addressing Unique
Challenges faced by Rural Communities Using the MAPP Process March
28, 2007 Slide 2 Panelist Introduction Carlos A. Yunsan, East
Tennessee Regional Health Office (TN) Carol S. Ryan, Sullivan
County Public Health Services (NY) Laurie Williams, Clinton County
Health Dept. (NY) Barbara Grice, Public Health Region 5 (SC) Slide
3 Q1: What prompted you to begin a MAPP process? What prepared you
to do MAPP? Q1a: Need to initiate a community assessment LHD
Leadership Community Coalition building efforts already begun Q1b:
Previous Evaluation/Assessment Efforts Leadership support Slide 4
Lack of Resources Dont necessarily need money, but lack of
dedicated staff was challenging This is work above and beyond
primary public health work Geography Lots of ground to cover
Meeting can be challenging Smaller pool of community partners means
that: Same people at every table Only so many meetings people will
go to Keeping participants engaged Multiple existing groups Many
single focused partnerships Intervention strategies that began
outside of the community Health improvement initiatives that are
basically controlled by larger institutions Q2: What were the
greatest challenges in implementing MAPP for a rural community?
Slide 5 Support Network Communication is key Identify a dedicated
staff person to participate from start to finish. Provide support
to those ready to move forward, while marketing to others Find a
local champion Use Participants Time Well Only meet when there is
something to get done Allowing communities to determine readiness
Provide Training Dont Reinvent the Wheel Build on past experiences
and successes as a segue to MAPP fit with existing efforts Build on
long-standing partnerships Collaboration with MPH students Q3: What
strategies did you use to overcome these challenges? Slide 6 Q4:
How did the LPHSA uniquely benefit your MAPP process? Expanded
Knowledge of what public health is among system partners
Recognition of specific weaknesses and strengths within the local
public health system Re-energized the MAPP Committee to pursue the
completion of the MAPP process Brought new partners to the MAPP
process Slide 7 Other organizations felt the work was of such value
that they put money behind it. Setting new standards on how rural
health should be done Members of the LPHS have written MAPP into
their five year strategic plans Partners have used the MAPP
document for grant applications Many agencies have stated that they
feel the community now owns these issues, not just their agency The
level of collaboration and cooperation Q5: What have been the
greatest benefits and/or outcomes of your process to date? Slide 8
Strengthening the local public health system network Creating
understanding of need for long-term, strategic approach to improve
community health Facilitated communication and understanding
between local organizations, and sustainability of those efforts
Brought additional members to local organizations LHD has become a
more visible and respected partner for community-wide events and
initiatives Data sharing among partners Strengthen partnership with
Univ of TNs MPH program Reassessment of priorities to be proactive.
Q5 (CONT): What have been the greatest benefits/outcomes of your
process to date? Slide 9 Q6: Are you considering using MAPP again?
What would you do differently next time? It was time to either
update the plan by going through the assessments again, or to stop
the process. The partners were enthusiastic about doing it again.
Now the LHD is in charge of the Rural Health Network, and its
through this group that the MAPP process now has funding to sustain
itself. - Carol Ryan Slide 10 MAPP is our recommended tool for
community health planning, and we will continue to provide support
to implementing communities within our region. In the future, I
think there is a need to focus on the organizing for success and
visioning components of the model. - Carlos Yunsan Q6: Are you
considering using MAPP again? What would you do differently next
time? Slide 11 We are using MAPP again to complete our 2008 NYS
required community health assessment. We will use the original as
our template and will update the document in addition to a higher
level of data analysis. We will again work as a tri-county group. I
dont think we will do very much different. What we did worked for
us. - Laurie Williams Slide 12 Q6: Are you considering using MAPP
again? What would you do differently next time? Yes, we are
repeating MAPP in selected counties to gain data to help us decide
how to tailor services and address key health concerns in our
communities. - Barbara Grice Slide 13 Carlos A. Yunsan, East
Tennessee Regional Health Office (TN) Carol S. Ryan, Sullivan
County Public Health Services (NY) Laurie Williams, Clinton County
Health Dept. (NY) Barbara Grice, Public Health Region 5 (SC)
Participant Questions?
