Rural Community College Initiative 2006

Fort Worth, Texas

April 6, 2006

Collaborations to Enhance Community and Population Well-Being

*Keith Mueller, Tim Size, Joe Gallegos, Len Kaye, Larry Otis

Purpose of Chapter: to suggest a policy and program agenda for HHS that would foster collaboration among community organizations and local rural leaders to improve the well-being of the community and its residents

NAC believes sustaining rural communities requires effective local collaborations that involve federally funded programs and payment systems

Collaboration:Why the Committee Chose this Topic

More than 225 HHS programs available to rural communities

Coordination is especially important in rural communities where resources, services, and providers are often limited

IOM’s Six Aims to Community Collaboration Safe, effective, patient and community centered,

timely, efficient, equitable

Collaborations that Work:Examples

CREATE in Tupelo, MS

Blue Valley Community Action Partnership – community-based, non-profit serving 15 counties in rural NE And KS; offers more than 30 programs in health services, child development, emergency services, etc.

Collaborations that Work:Barriers

Lack of investment by involved parties Lack of resources Long distance travel Community resistance Lack of established lines of communication Collaborations do not occur overnight

Collaborations that Work:Incentives

1. BETTER SERVE THE CLIENT2. Efficient use of resources3. Creating a link between collaboration and

broad goals of the community4. Encourage and facilitate efforts of strong

local leaders*Strong leadership is precondition for successful collaborations.

Communities should strive to always support local leaders, capture wealth transfer, energize entrepreneurship, and attract young people

Collaboration:The Role of Health and Human Services in Integrating Programs Across Sectors

Health sector is critical in achieving new directions in rural policy

Importance of thinking of health and human service programs and policies as integral to overall community development and rural economies

Actions and Specific Recommendations to Facilitate Collaborations

HHS can help establish a policy environment in which collaboration flourish

ACTIONS: Create common reporting requirements for

programs that are linked at the local level Encourage programs in other Federal agencies to

participate in multi-sector collaborations Facilitate interagency cooperation that allows for

single lines of accountability for funds

RECOMMENDATIONS The Secretary should support the creation of

a Web resource for “models that work,” showing successful collaborations in rural areas (build this into www.raconline.org)

The Secretary should support research that will further specify opportunities and barriers

RECOMMENDATIONS (cont.)

The Secretary should support leadership development for rural community organizations and residents

The Secretary should require grant recipients engaged in direct delivery of services to demonstrate an effect on community development

Involving Community Leaders in Community

Development

“No Santa Claus in Washington, County seat, or state capital.”

George McLean

Tupelo, Lee County, Mississippi 1940

Poorest town Poorest county Poorest state

Poorest in America

Tupelo 2005

34,000 population-59,000 jobs Largest non-metro hospital in America Created 1,000 jobs per yr. for 17 years 3 times All America City One of Top School Systems in America Symphony orchestra, Ballet company Family income near national medium Upholstery furniture mfg center of America Regional Shopping Center 12 million shoppers/year

What was the change agent?

George McLean-champion of community, the Editor of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

Change in approach to development that resulted in progress and improvements in quality of life

Concept that all parties agreed: Community Development precedes Economic Development

Guiding principles-Total Community Development. Local people must address local problems. Each person should be treated as a resource. The goal of Community development is to help people help

themselves. Meet the needs by starting with the poorest. Community development must help create jobs. Expenditures for community development are an investment-not

a subsidy. Community development must be done both locally and

regionally.

Guiding principles-Total community development

Start with tangible goals and measure you progress. Build teams and use team approach. Leadership is a prime ingredient, but requires

organizations. Never turn the community development to any

agency that does not include people of the community.

Persistence is essential and must be updated. Accountability for performance and finance.

Community Development precedes economic development

Funding follows careful development of concepts and people involvement.

Assessment of constraints. Collaboration in rural areas where resources,

services & providers are limited. HHS has more than 225 programs for rural

communities. Go to raconline.org for funding ideas HHS

Collaborations that work:

Barriers Lack of investment by parties Lack of resources Long distance travel Lack of established lines of communications. Community resistance Desire for credit/turf concerns

Collaborations that work

Incentives: Better serve the client Efficient use of resources Creating a link between collaboration and broad goals of

the community. Encourage and facilitate efforts of strong local leaders. Importance of thinking of health and human service

programs and policies as integral to overall community development and rural economies.

E conom icC om petitiveness

C ouncil

W orkforceD eve lopm ent

B oard

S ocia lE nvironm ent

Taskforce

C o m m issio n o n th e Fu tu reo f N o rthe a s t M iss iss ip p i

Commission Purpose: Assess conditions in Northeast Mississippi

Determine the key issues facing the region

Recommend regional strategies to address these issues

CREATE

Commission on the Future of North Mississippi Identify constraints to growth and prosperity.

Teen pregnancy Workforce development Racial reconciliation Regionalism/unity Inclusive process for each of the 16 counties to identify

county socioeconomic trends and public opinion that affect the region.

CREATE High impact opportunities

State of the Region Report Meeting Common Grounds Project Local economic developers meetings Workforce Development –Market Street Services-Atlanta $100,000.00 Grant to each of 16 Counties match with

$200,000.00 from local County. Free Clinic-medical services for working poor Reading aide for elementary Lee County

Schools($150,000.00/year for 10 years). Now state wide by State of Mississippi

Advanced Education Center $12 million, used jointly by Ole Miss, MUW, Itawamba CC.

Community Development precedes economic development

Peter Wolf, Doug Henton, Robert Puttnam, Vaughn Grisham point to the Tupelo Model

Guiding principles-Total Community Development. Local people must address local problems. Each person should be treated as a resource. The goal of Community development is to help people help

themselves. Meet the needs by starting with the poorest. Community development must help create jobs. Expenditures for community development are an investment-not

a subsidy. Community development must be done both locally and

regionally.

Guiding principles-Total community development

Start with tangible goals and measure you progress. Build teams and use team approach. Leadership is a prime ingredient, but requires

organizations. Never turn the community development to any

agency that does not include people of the community.

Persistence is essential and must be updated.

CREATE

Initiatives Inspiring Mississippi Women to reach full potential Mission Mississippi (Racial reconciliation) Northeast Mississippi Youth Foundation MegaPop-Broadband to North Mississippi Community Leadership Institute

PUL Alliance 1700 acre Mega Site

It is the responsibility of the people of Mississippi

to try to raise the level - economically, educationally,

spiritually and otherwise - of all the people of Mississippi.

There’s nobody else who’s going to come in here and do it for us.

George McLeanCREATE Founder

1904 - 1983

www.createfoundation.comwww.createfoundation.com

Quality of Life

Health care Quality education opportunities Social involvement Jobs Retail Growth of people

What faces us in the Future?

“The New Texas Challenge” Changing Demographics

Research of real issues not just perceptions. Outside help-Consultants

Leadership Development

Grow your own leaders Focus their skills on strengthening community Ask them to commit 1 or 2 years to their

dream. Reach back and educate new leaders in

community.

Collaboration

Federal Foundation Regional issues Local issues Funding

Application of Technology

On line education “World is Flat” (why we got left out) National Community Development Network

Accountability of Actions

Funding sources will demand results or no more funding.

Not our money Funding limitations of tax sources Increasing competition for funds It’s just the right thing to do!

Contact:Larry Otis

RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 645 West Jefferson Street Tupelo, MS 38804

Email-larryotis@bellsouth.net Phone 662-842-7657