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 protected] Phone 662-842-7657