Thursday, October 26, 3:30
p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Moderator
Greg Morris
Director, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Office of
the Secretary
Presentations
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN A FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY: INITIAL ASSESSMENT AND
INTERVENTION
Sharon B. Canclini, M.S., B.S.N., R.N.; Pamela
Jean Frable, N.D., R.N.
Texas Christian University, Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Fort
Worth, TX
Recent disasters increased awareness that individuals and communities have responsibility for
planning, preparing for, and knowing how to respond in emergencies. In the aftermath of Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita, 10 faith-based communities and two faith-based schools within a square mile area
of Arlington, Texas, helped feed disaster victims, staff shelters, and collect supplies. Lacking
formal coordinating structures, the communities learned that work was duplicated and realized that
they did not know how to make referrals for persons representing themselves as disaster victims.
After a faith-based community representative expressed concerns to a university faculty member
about how to respond better in future disasters, a community-campus partnership emerged that
resulted in an assessment and interventions to address preparedness needs.
Stakeholders from the faith communities attended a faculty-designed seminar,
Understanding Disasters, and identified disaster preparedness needs.
Community health nursing students assessed the faith-based organizations in this geographic
area and developed educational programs addressing the primary disaster preparedness needs
identified by stakeholders: important documents, family disaster kits, and disaster communication
plans. Community organizing and referral and follow-up were inherent in the design of the
educational interventions and community assessment. Community organizing is a public health
nursing intervention that helps community groups work together to achieve collective goals.
Referral and follow-up is a public health nursing strategy that helps communities successfully
identify and secure needed resources.
Outcomes included building and strengthening relationships among the faith-based communities
and between the communities and university, increasing faith-based communities' awareness of
community resources and referral systems, helping faith-based communities ensure that member
families were prepared for disasters and had disaster kits, and identifying other disaster
preparedness learning needs within the communities. Community health nursing students
learned about their responsibility to help prepare their families and clients for disasters.
In addition, the faith-based schools collaborated in developing a disaster action plan.
FAITH-BASED MODEL FOR PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMMING
Gregory J. Harris, MASS; Bruce A. Smith
Council of Church-Based Health Programs, Inc., Tallahassee, FL
This presentation will introduce a Faith-Based Prevention Model that can be implemented and
used by faith- and community-based organizations as well as educational and private institutions
to educate, enhance, and promote better health practices among at-risk populations.
The Faith-Based Prevention Model can be used across many health content areas such as cardiovascular
health and wellness, diabetes, and drug prevention. The model consists of a constellation of planning
and program strategies, which when combined have a positive impact on youth, faith members, families,
and the community. The model is implemented in four different phases: (1) community development,
readiness, and empowerment; (2) faith leader training and action planning; (3) program implementation
and evaluation; and (4) program redesign.
Each phase and examples of the model will be discussed as well as program and training material
for potential model implementers. This model can be adapted to augment existing programs,
activities, and strategies.
SEARCH YOUR HEART TRAIN-THE-TRAINER MODEL
Diane C. McClune, M.B.A., B.S.N.
American Heart Association, Pittsburgh, PA
Research indicates that African Americans are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease than
other ethnicities. A key to dealing with health disparities is being proactive in addressing risk
factors such as physical inactivity, obesity/nutrition, hypertension, and diabetes.
The barriers to success have been lack of a mechanism to deliver the message, leaders in the African
American community, and sustainability. Through the American Heart Association's Search Your Heart
(SYH) program, these obstacles have been removed and the result is a healthier community.
Through the SYH program, partnerships are established with African American churches by gaining the
support of the pastor, identifying a coordinator, and providing tools for the church trainers.
Once the pastor "buys-in/blesses" the program, the coordinator is pivotal in moving the program
forward. The coordinator identifies trainers in the church who are interested in exercise, nutrition,
hypertension, and related health issues. The next step is to provide training for the trainers—thus
the "Train-the-Trainer Model." The training is usually conducted by area healthcare providers. The
church trainers with the support of the SYH manual develop exercise programs, walking clubs, cooking
demonstrations, healthy potluck meals, blood pressure screenings, and other activities. These healthy
messages, delivered by the trainers, have been well received by participants. The healthcare providers
are available for support but are not a regular part of the actual education and teaching.
In 2003–2004, SYH was introduced in seven churches in the Hill District, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
There was support from the pastors, dedicated coordinators, and enthusiastic trainers. Results
indicated that 54 percent of the participants had improvement in hypertension, 62 percent improved
body mass index, 49 percent had lower cholesterols, and 39 percent had lower blood sugars. The greatest
success is that, in 2006, the churches are continuing with exercise classes 3 days/week and with walking
clubs, serving healthier meals, and holding regular blood pressure screenings as well as an annual
mini-conference on health.
GLORIFYING OUR SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL EXISTENCE FOR LIFE (G.O.S.P.E.L.)
Debbie Gold, B.G.S.
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Wheaton, MD
The Glorifying Our Spiritual and Physical Existence for Life (G.O.S.P.E.L.) program began in May 2003.
It is a faith-based initiative, developed to increase knowledge and awareness among African Americans
regarding health disparity issues, especially those disparities related to tobacco use. The goal of the
G.O.S.P.E.L. program is to reduce and hopefully eliminate such health disparities.
Through a collaborative effort between the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Health and
Human Services and the Black Minister's Conference of Montgomery County, the G.O.S.P.E.L. program
partners with 11 African American churches and has a team of 23 community outreach workers. Monthly
meetings are held with the outreach team to discuss ongoing activities, introduce new topics, share
community feedback, conduct presentations with expert speakers, and distribute resource materials
for each church.
The team has put on multiple health symposiums, conducted individual and group outreach, and
distributed health resource materials. Training is conducted to increase and enhance the skills of
the outreach team. Creative approaches are developed as teaching tools to motivate and entice the
community, and include innovations such as Smoking Jeopardy and FAITH Bingo (Focusing on the Almighty
as He Inspires Us to True Health). In addition to all of the self-developed materials, the G.O.S.P.E.L.
team partners with other organizations to bring innovative programs to the community, such as the
Brown Bag Event (pharmacy awareness and doctor-patient communication), the Heart Health Symposium,
the Health Freedom Walk, and multiple events in honor of the Great American Smokeout and World No
Tobacco Day.
For questions or more information, please contact
summit@hhs.gov.
