COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN
FOR
LINCOLN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
2006-2007
Executive Summary
The purpose of a community health improvement
plan is to depict how the community works together to improve the health
issues within the county. The plan reflects the results of a participatory
planning process that includes significant involvement by key community
sectors: private citizens, health care consumers, health care providers,
and key elements of the public health system. The health council
is an ideal mechanism for encouraging and facilitating this collaborative
process.
A community health improvement plan has
at its foundation the belief that communities have the wherewithal to
improve the health of their own residents. The plan is a tool
to guide communities through their action steps in order to address
priorities that have been defined in the community health profile through
community input and review of local health data.
As a result of a community wide survey
of Lincoln County residents, together with statewide and local data,
the two priorities of the Lincoln County Community Health Council were
determined to be domestic violence/sexual assault issues and substance
use and abuse. The plan will demonstrate uses of evidence based
research and approaches and measures by which progress is assessed and
implemented.
The Lincoln County Community Health Council
has developed this comprehensive countywide plan to promote and attempt
to strengthen the health, well being, and quality of life of Lincoln
County residents. The Council will review the plan’s implementation
on an annual basis for the purpose of updating the information and publishing
current data. Our mission as a Council is to assess, promote,
and enhance the health and well being of county residents by creating
a process that encourages broad-based community involvement.
For the year FY08, the Lincoln County
Community Health Council will continue to combat the issues of domestic
violence, sexual assault and substance abuse in our communities by implementing
the following activities (as well as continuing the previously mentioned
evidence based practices):
-
We will continue to disseminate information and education
on domestic violence/sexual assault and substance abuse to the community
through newspaper articles, radio PSAs and appropriate literature at a
minimum of a quarterly basis.
-
We will collaborate with coordinated community response
partners to implement plans increasing participation by law enforcement,
judges, health care providers and counselors.
-
We will work to increase awareness of domestic
violence/sexual assault and substance abuse by supporting and
encouraging the development of a SADD (Students Against Destructive
Decisions) chapter in the Ruidoso Middle School.
-
We will continue addressing domestic violence/sexual
assault and substance abuse issues by supporting the SADD students
in both the middle and high school in student health related
activities.
-
We will continue to coordinate ongoing efforts on
substance abuse prevention and treatment options in Lincoln County
in partnership with the JD12 Local Collaborative.
-
We will research and identify curricula/programs
to assist victims of domestic violence who are participating in
The Nest Shelter.
-
We will facilitate discussions concerning the
establishment of an Offender Treatment Program.
A more detailed outline of aims, strategies and outcome
measures is developed in the plan itself.
The two core subcommittees of the health council, one for
domestic violence and sexual assault, and one for substance abuse, meet on a
monthly basis, developing projects that target the issues and educate and
involve community participation, to reduce the rates of incidence of both
these priorities.
This document, the community health improvement plan, should be
used in conjunction with the community health profile. These are the product
of state, local and community driven data collection and assessment of the
issues of concern in this county. Used together, the profile and plan are to
clearly present a community’s health needs and issues so that they can be
prioritized for action, and then to subsequently put them into action.
Community groups, grant seekers, legislators and policy makers, as well as
other potential users will utilize this information. Ultimately it will be a
tool for guiding community action and for monitoring and measuring progress
toward achieving common aims or goals.
Introduction
A community health improvement
plan serves as a tool for guiding community action and for monitoring and
measuring progress toward achieving common aims or goals. Plans and their
accompanying community health profiles are also used in many other
ways. They serve as the basis for
needs assessments by community health centers, health and social service
organizations, and other public health initiatives. They are often quoted as
justification for funding requests and proposals, and they may be used to
provide criteria for funding agencies for choosing proposals and projects to
support. Overall, community health improvement plans can be a key element in a
community’s efforts to attract financial resources and to build local
infrastructure to improve overall quality of life.
The data in a community health profile will lead to certain
conclusions about a community’s most urgent health needs and concerns, which
will then translate into priorities. The two priorities for Lincoln County at
this time are 1) Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault, and 2) Substance Abuse. For
each priority, there will be long and short-term aims or goals, all of which
can be monitored and measured, using specific kinds of data. For each
priority, there will be specific strategies that will be employed—again, with
verifiable and measurable outcomes. The goal is to develop a plan that is
clear, understandable, user-friendly, that uses evidence-based strategies, and
that retains a unique community “voice” that reflects an area’s shared values,
traditions, and unique strengths and assets.
A county-wide survey was distributed in the fall/winter of
2006. Participants included residents of Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs, Carrizozo,
Capitan, Lincoln and the Hondo Valley. Results of that survey are an integral
piece of the evaluation and assessment of needs and issues. The health
council’s membership has several who are employed by agencies that target the
two priorities worked on, and therefore lend much expertise and commitment to
the goals.
Council
Description
The Lincoln County Community Health Council
was officially birthed in 1997, following approximately two years of
strategic planning and assessments. There has been and continues
to be a strong and vibrant core membership committed to continuing the
essential work that has been completed and/or initiated in the past.
The membership has committed representatives from areas such as nursing,
prevention, juvenile probation, substance abuse, public health, school
health, local government, community groups, behavioral health providers,
youth, faith community and interested individuals. The membership
of the Council is comprised of leaders committed to enhancing health
improvement, and representation is diverse. Recruitment is often
the result of people’s participation in a Council-sponsored event,
such as a town hall meeting or health awareness fair. Networking
and collaboration are key components of a successful Council.
This diversity brings a variety of perspectives when confronting the
issues at hand.
The mission of the Community Health Council
is to develop a comprehensive countywide plan to promote and strengthen
the health, well being, and quality of life of Lincoln County residents.
The Council will review the plan’s implementation on an annual basis
for the purpose of updating the information and publishing current data.
Our mission is to assess, promote, and
enhance the health and well being of county residents by creating a
process that encourages broad-based community involvement.
One of our responsibilities is to identify the most important health
issues that people in Lincoln County face. To do this, a countywide
survey was distributed and the results will assist in future planning.
We use the results, along with statistics about health issues in our
county to select priorities which we will focus on over the next several
years.
The Council’s vision is to improve
the health status of the citizens of Lincoln County by achieving or
exceeding national goals and standards in health maintenance, education,
and preventive services. The Council, with its profile and strategic
plan, is a primary component of Lincoln County’s community health
improvement process.
Lincoln County, classified as a frontier
county, is located in a geographic area, which makes access to care
difficult. Barriers such as distance from health care facilities,
lack of primary care physicians, language/cultural differences, means
of transportation, weather, poverty, and lack of insurance create many
challenges. The perseverance of this Health Council, over
the past few years to address these issues with positive and aggressive
action, is the reason the communities of Lincoln County can look forward
to beneficial progress in the future.
Community
Collaboration is essential to the work of the Health Council.
The
following are active partners in Lincoln County:
Children’s Medical
Services
CYFD (Children, Youth
and Families Dept.)
Highlights of the Community Health Improvement Plan
Some of the
strategies this Council is implementing are as follows:
-
The Health
Council is working closely with the Center of Protective Environment
(COPE), the Lincoln County Community Council on Violence Against Women
(LCCC-VAW), Help End Abuse for Life (HEAL), and the Sexual Assault
Response Team (SART) to accomplish their objectives, strategies and
activities in dealing with domestic violence and sexual assault in this
county. Council members provide ongoing support for the new safe house
(The Nest) in helping to facilitate communication between the shelter and
law enforcement response to shelter safety needs.
-
The Health
Council has ongoing working committees which strive to improve awareness
in children through education and prevention programs in the school and
church communities by providing date rape information to middle school and
senior high students and targeting efforts through existing programs such
as Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Positive Choice
Initiative (PCI), DWI Council and other groups.
-
The Health
Council is working to insure that the community has access to information
which impacts domestic violence/sexual assault and substance abuse within
the community through media coverage, a partnership formed for Coordinated
Community Response to domestic violence and sexual assault, and making
informative literature available to the public concerning resources
available.
-
The JD12
Bi-Collaborative has been very active in addressing the substance
abuse/use in Lincoln County. The SPF (Strategic Prevention Framework)
assessment is a part of looking at community readiness and needs and gaps
in services. With this collaboration between the JD12 and LCCHC, combined
efforts will bring increased community awareness and aid in combating the
substance use issues within our county.
Priorities, Aims,
Strategies, Outcome Measures and Activities
As a result of the 2005-06 review process, surveys, data
collection and other evaluative tools, the two priorities identified for FY
2007-2008 were:
Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse
Following are evidence based research examples in progress by
the substance abuse preventionists and domestic violence partners of the
Lincoln County Community Health Council:
Priority:
Substance Abuse Prevention
|
Aim:
What outcome do you
hope to accomplish?
|
Evidence-based
strategy:
What overall approach
or set of activities will you use to accomplish your aim?
|
Research
base:
What research,
literature review, website, and/or studies did you use to identify this
strategy as "evidence-based"?
|
Evidence
of effectiveness:
What in the research
demonstrates that this is an effective strategy to achieve your
aim?
|
Local
Modifications:
What modifications
will be necessary to meet the needs of your specific population and/or
geographic area?
|
|
Provide a program
that gives students insight, understanding and actual skills for
resisting substance abuse
.Reduce the onset and
regular use of substances among middle grade youth with a focus on
substances adolescents are most likely to use: alcohol, tobacco,
marijuana, and inhalants
|
Use PROJECT ALERT
curriculum in middle grades in Lincoln county schools. PROJECT ALERT is
an exemplary model program recognized by U.S. Department of Education,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
|
RAND developed and
field-tested the curriculum over a ten year period. The outcomes were
proven in a longitudinal study in thirty diverse middle and junior high
schools.
|
Outcomes achieved by
students in the study:
30% reduction in
initiation of marijuana use
60% decrease in
current marijuana use
20%-25% reduction in
cigarette use
33%-55% decrease in
regular and heavy smoking
Significantly
enhanced anti-drug beliefs
|
Six core lessons are
utilized the first year. Three “booster lessons are completed during the
second year.
Carrizozo
– 5th – 16 Students
6th
– 14 Students
Ruidoso
– 5th – 165 Students
7th
– 165 Students
8th
– 170 Students
Capitan
-- 6th – 60 Students
7th
– 45 Students
|
Priority:
Substance Abuse Prevention
|
Aim:
What outcome do you
hope to accomplish?
|
Evidence-based
strategy:
What overall approach
or set of activities will you use to accomplish your aim?
|
Research
base:
What research,
literature review, website, and/or studies did you use to identify this
strategy as "evidence-based"?
|
Evidence
of effectiveness:
What in the research
demonstrates that this is an effective strategy to achieve your
aim?
|
Local
Modifications:
What modifications
will be necessary to meet the needs of your specific population and/or
geographic area?
|
|
Prevent the injury
and death of youth due to:
-
Underage
consumption of alcoholic beverages
-
Vehicle related
risks especially as passengers in which the driver is not alcohol
free
Provide information
to students grades 1-5 and parents on:
-
importance of
protecting brains under age 21
-
ways to help
children avoid risks associated with a driver who is not alcohol
free
|
Protecting You/
Protecting Me
|
Works in concert with
the goals of the US Dept of Health, National Institutes of Health,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adm.
Curriculum is based
on the latest brain research
|
The conceptual
framework is based on the developmental assets framework, developed by
Search Institute of Minnesota – an outgrowth of the research on the
risk/protection mechanism that provides concrete strategies
|
This program is
designed to implement the lessons at the appropriate grade
level
Some supplemental
activities may be used such as designing posters or using bicycle safety
material
|
Priority:
Substance Abuse Prevention
|
Aim:
What outcome do you
hope to accomplish?
|
Evidence-based
strategy:
What overall approach
or set of activities will you use to accomplish your aim?
|
Research
base:
What research,
literature review, website, and/or studies did you use to identify this
strategy as "evidence-based"?
|
Evidence
of effectiveness:
What in the research
demonstrates that this is an effective strategy to achieve your
aim?
|
Local
Modifications:
What modifications
will be necessary to meet the needs of your specific population and/or
geographic area?
|
|
Provide a program
that prevents substance use, sexual activity, fighting, and delinquency.
Provide a program that also enhances positive characteristics we all
want young people to develop. Promote idealism and a belief in the
future, commitment to a positive life style, wholesome standards,
resiliency, a sense of belonging, and positive relations with parents
and other adults.
|
Utilize the ALL STARS
curriculum in mid level grades.
|
ALL STARS is based on
twenty-five years of research. ALL STARS is recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention as a
model research based program.
|
When implemented, ALL
STARS pre/post tests revealed:
Reduced alcohol
use
Reduction in binge
drinking
Reduction in the use
of all tobacco products
Reduction in the use
of marijuana and initiation
Reduction in
premature sexual activity
Reduction in
fighting, vandalism, and delinquency
|
Preventionist and
counselor implemented 14 lessons in sixth grade classrooms with peer
educators conducting one of the lessons
Approximately 180
Sixth Graders were served.
|
Priority:
Substance Abuse
|
Aim:
What
outcome do you hope to accomplish?
|
Evidence-based
strategy:
What
overall approach or set of activities will you use to accomplish your
aim?
|
Research
base:
What
research, literature review, website, and/or studies did you use to
identify this strategy as "evidence-based"?
|
Evidence
of effectiveness:
What
in the research demonstrates that this is an effective strategy to
achieve your aim?
|
Local
Modifications:
What
modifications will be necessary to meet the needs of your specific
population and/or geographic area?
|
|
The
goal of the
Guiding
Good Choices
(GGC)
program is to prevent substance abuse among teens by teaching parents
effective family management and communication skills before their
children enter adolescence.
|
The
typical implementation is 5 workshops using GGC Curriculum consisting of
role-playing, and group/facilitator interaction.
|
http://www.channing-bete.com/prevention-programs/guiding-good-choices
|
Qualitative data from
the local participants show
-
Parents
recognition of problem behaviors
-
Stronger family
bonds
-
Development
of healthy beliefs and clear standards
-
Family
Management problems decreased
|
Local modification
o Use of additional
evaluation forms by Behavioral Assessment Inc. through New Mexico Office
of Substance Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Priority:
Domestic Violence
|
Aim:
What outcome do you
hope to accomplish?
|
Evidence-based
strategy:
What overall approach
or set of activities will you use to accomplish your aim?
|
Research
base:
What research,
literature review, website, and/or studies did you use to identify this
strategy as "evidence-based"?
|
Evidence
of effectiveness:
What in the research
demonstrates that this is an effective strategy to achieve your
aim?
|
Local
Modifications:
What modifications
will be necessary to meet the needs of your specific population and/or
geographic area?
|
|
Enhance or increase
the protection order process
|
Technology to speed
up the process.
Transportation to the
county seat for victims of domestic violence.
Tracking system
including data collection and computerized tracking
|
Duluth Model:
Domestic
Abuse Information
Network
See
www.praxisinternational.org
Jbuckley@duluth-model.org
DAIN 2.2
Software
Duluth Model finds
protection orders to be most effective in prevention of DV
|
1) Using data
collection at the law enforcement offices and district courts; the
number of protection orders issued and expanded will be
counted.
2) Reports will be
generated using the DAIN 2.2 software.
3) Progress will be
determined by reports evaluated from the DAIN software.
|
By tracking the
number of temporary protection orders and extensions, we will be able to
determine where improvements need to be investigated.
|
What are the challenges in
domestic violence progress?
-
No data available from law
enforcement. Lincoln County law enforcement agencies are not reporting
data to the state.
-
Difficulty finding nurses
to become SANE nurses. (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners)
-
Money and manpower to
collect data.
A major goal is to get a data collector up and running by the
end of 2007, and finding funding to hire the data collector.
In 2006-2007, Lincoln County
succeeded in the following endeavors related to domestic
violence:
-
Formation of the LCCC-VAW.
(Lincoln County Community Council on Violence Against Women)
-
Formation of the SART and
expansion of the SANE program from Otero County. (Sexual Assault
Response Team and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners)
-
Formation of H.E.A.L.
(Help End Abuse for Life)
-
Development of a
Prevention and Education workgroup on domestic
violence.
-
Opening of the Nest,
domestic violence shelter.
-
Local COPE office
opening. (Center of Protective Environment)
-
Formation of the
Domestic Violence Core Group, a subgroup of the Lincoln County
Community Health Council.
-
DV services in
the Lincoln County Detention Center and current negotiations
for Anger Management groups with The Counseling Center and
Lincoln County Detention Center.
-
Lincoln
County Sheriffs Posse’s interest in volunteering
transportation for DV victims to Carrizozo to file Orders
of Protection.
-
Formation
of a Human Trafficking Group to research and educate on
this issue.
For the year FY08,
the Lincoln County Community Health Council will continue to combat the issues
of domestic violence, sexual assault and substance abuse in our communities by
implementing the following activities (as well as continuing the previously
mentioned evidence based practices):
-
We will continue
to disseminate information and education on domestic violence/sexual
assault and substance abuse to the community through newspaper articles,
radio PSAs and appropriate literature at a minimum of a quarterly
basis.
-
We will
collaborate with coordinated community response partners to implement
plans increasing participation by law enforcement, judges, health care
providers and counselors.
-
We will work
to increase awareness of domestic violence/sexual assault and
substance abuse by supporting and encouraging the development of a
SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter in the Ruidoso
Middle School.
-
We will
continue addressing domestic violence/sexual assault and substance
abuse issues by supporting the SADD students in both the middle and
high school in student health related activities.
-
We will
continue to coordinate ongoing efforts on substance abuse
prevention and treatment options throughout Lincoln County in
partnership with the JD12 Local Collaborative and public health
system partners.
-
We will
facilitate the discussion around the establishment of an
Offender Treatment Program for domestic violence/sexual
assault.
-
We
will research and identify curricula/programs to assist with
educating victims of domestic violence who are participating
in The Nest Shelter program.
. Click here to get your own Free Website!