Running head: BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY

HEALTH PROGRAMS 1

Broward County Health Plan Target and Community Health Programs

Student Name

Institution Affiliation
BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROGRAMS 2

Broward County Health Plan Target and Community Health Programs

Broward County is situated in Florida State in the United States Florida state. The county

has 1,896, 425 according to the 2010 census making it the second most populated county in

Florida and 17th most populated county in the United States (United States Census Bureau,

2010). Broward County health department is well equipped with advanced healthcare assets to

tackle different types of diseases among them tuberculosis (TB).The county has made

tremendous efforts in TB fight which remains a threat to the people of Broward County. Broward

has an established county epidemiology program where staffs investigate and perform

surveillance of reported TB cases and conditions.

Broward County compares well with the other counties in Florida, and it is considered

among the best counties in Florida State. According to Florida state 2013 rankings, Broward

County ranked number nine in health outcomes, 7th in health factors and 13th in social and

economic factors (Public Work LLC, 2014). The county adequately liaises with the state health

department to enhance quality health care for its citizens. Broward Department of Health staff

investigates the outbreak of tuberculosis among other diseases and instructs on the prevention

and control measures to mitigate the spread of the disease. Epidemiologists provide technical

assistance and education to the healthcare professional in the regions and the communities where

tuberculosis management as public health significance.

Broward Department of Health staff performs health education activities and community

outreach related to communicable diseases such as TB. TB and other reported conditions data are

collected for analysis for the identification of case rates, distribution and trends of the TB in the

county that allows quick response to disease outbreaks (Broward.org, 2016). The liaison of the

county health department and the state health department brings together all the physicians,
BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROGRAMS 3

hospitals, laboratories, community-based clinics, public health professionals, and social service

agencies to form a network for an efficient TB program.

Broward Health County Resources

Broward healthcare department is on the forefront in administering quality health care

services for its citizens. The Human Services Department allocates required funds for the

provision of cost-effective services, consumer friendly and highest in quality to individuals with

health care problems, special health care needs, mental health and behavior health as approved

Broward Board of County Commissioners (Broward.org, 2016). Human Services Department

has the duty of providing a professional oversight and fiscal and contract administration, delivery

of community funds and other related health care support services.

Broward County offers Children’s Medical Services (CMS) to cater for special health

needs of children and their families. The county CMS comprises of two departments, CMS

Prevention and Intervention and CMS Network. The two divisions protect Broward County

health and safety of young people more so the children. Broward Healthcare Department

subsidized health insurance for its children and adolescents and its eligibility depends on the

children’s age, household income, and household size (Holy Cross Hospital, 2013).

Broward County has established family success centers that are one-stop sources of

information related to social services. The social services include the services that help families

to set their goals, referrals, skills learning and other services that help families have stronger

healthier family relationships (Holy Cross Hospital, 2013). Individuals get access to life skill

classes, family and group counseling, integrated intakes, case management and integrated

intakes.
BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROGRAMS 4

Despite the above resources in the county, the county still experiences a broad range of

challenges. Many of the Broward County residents are still struggling for their basic needs in

addition to those who need substance abuse or mental health services and homeless (Public Work

LLC, 2014). There are fragile families and their children who are fighting to remain united as

some of the families need to be reintegrated into the society after an absolute residential

behavioral health address or incarceration (Public Work LLC, 2014). Many health care experts

have consistently called for recognition of social, behavioral, affective and contextual issues to

establish a health, educational and clinical psychologies framework (Ebbers, 2003). There is the

need to stress on the social, behavioral, and cognitive factors of the county economic for better

healthcare services.

Broward County holds a large percentage of uninsured residents, 25.9% which is even

higher than Florida State 24.1% and the United States, 17% of adults of age 18-64 years being

the majority (Public Work LLC, 2014). Broward has had weak encounters in tackling

communicable diseases and other diseases such as HIV/AIDS and syphilis. In 2011, about 17%

of people living with HIV/AIDS in Florida came from Broward County (Public Work LLC,

2014). Finally, the County also experiences a lower rate of licensed physicians compared to its

population. Broward County needs to work more on increasing the number of the insured

residents, increasing the number of licensed physicians and their efforts in the fight of

communicable diseases especially HIV/AIDS and syphilis.

Broward Demographics

The majority of the county population is below 65 years. According to the 2010 census,

14.3% of the county population is residents of the age 65 and over which is even less than the

entire Florida State. The greatest population increase to have occurred in the county from 2000 to
BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROGRAMS 5

2010 took place between the age groups of 45-49 years while a decrease was recorded for the

people in the 30-44 age groups (United States Census Bureau, 2010). The increased crisis

foreclosure among the homeowners in Florida has resulted in the formation of a homeless group

that eventually lead to increased of affordable rental house demand.

Over the past one decade, the county has experienced high rates of unemployment, 4.5%

in 2001 which has been increasing; the County had 8.1% rates of unemployment in 2012 thereby

representing its economic crisis (Public Work LLC, 2014). Approximately 15% of the county

residents live in poverty representing 19.7% of the individuals below the age of 18 years living

in poverty (Public Work LLC, 2014). Of the families reported of having 19.7% of people below

18 years living in poverty. 15.6% were reported to be below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

Married couples living below the poverty line were estimated to be about 6.7% (Public Work

LLC, 2014).

Broward County experiences a steady increase in the number of families, as well as

individuals receiving Medicaid, food stamps and other public assistance through there, is a

decrease in the enrollment of TANF across the entire county. According to the 2010 United

States Census Bureau, approximately 24% of the county non-institutionalized civilians were not

insured; when compared to the entire state and nation the rate is much higher especially for

residents below the age of 18 years and those of 65 and above of age.

Health Program Planning for Broward County

Considering that the Broward County population keeps on increasing, I would like to

plan for a higher population that the provided population in the 2010 census. Since the county

population in 2010 was 1,896, 425, I will estimate a tuberculosis programs of approximately two

million residents in the county. The TB program will integrate the county healthcare Department,
BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROGRAMS 6

Florida healthcare department, and the federal healthcare department. The mission of the TB

program will be to eliminate TB in Broward County with the help of the state and the federal

government. To effectively come up with health care solutions it is imperative to consider the

overall health behavior change factors such as social, cognitive, contextual and behavioral issues

(Ebbers, 2003). The program comprises of TB treatment, prevention, and control by bringing

together the county resources, residents, physicians and other professional health care

practitioners.

For an effective treatment, prevention and control of tuberculosis, there will be the need

of increasing the number of licensed physicians in about the county population. In 2010, the ratio

of licensed physicians was 342 per 100,000 residents (Public Work LLC, 2014). To reduce the

healthcare practitioners’ deficit, the rate has to be over this possibly more than 380 or above 380

per 100,000 residents. As many people lack health insurance due to low incomes, there would

need to slightly increase the minimum wages and more subsidization of the health insurance

policies to accommodate as many residents as possible.

Treatment and preventative measures of tuberculosis would include the screening of

populations especially to the regions known and prone to have higher TB cases. Medications

should follow for people identified to have contracted the disease. The disease screening should

be accessible to everyone who wishes if possible at no cost. Masses of the county residents

should be taught on how to prevent the disease, control it and more importantly, they should be

encouraged to go screening. The county, state and federal government should provide necessary

support including resources for the program to be effective.

BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH PLAN TARGET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROGRAMS 7

References

Broward.org (2016). Broward County Library: Community Services. Retrieved from,

http://www.broward.org/library/mylibraryonline/learningservices/pages/communityservic

es.aspx

Ebbers, S. (2003). An Instructionally-Sound Design Framework for Health Behavior Change. In

A. Rossett (Ed.), Proceedings of E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in

Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2003

Holy Cross Hospital (2013). Community Health Needs Assessment 2013: Broward Regional

Health Planning Council. Retrieved from, https://www.holy-

cross.com/sites/default/files/community_health_needs_assessment_-_final_additions_12-

16-13.pdf

Public Work LLC (2014). Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment: Broward County.

Retrieved from,

http://broward.org/Budget/Documents/NeedsAssesExecSummaryJune162014.pdf

United States Census Bureau (2010). Quick Facts: Broward County. Retrieved from,

http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/12011