A Public Health Approach

1. What is the problem? (Surveillance)

2. What is the cause? ( Risk factor Identification)
3. What works (Intervention Evaluation)
4. How do you do it? (Implementation)

Strategies

 What is a strategy?
o A strategy is how you are going to get things done.
 Why develop strategies?
o Take advantage of resources and opportunities.
o Respond effectively to resistance and barriers.
o More efficient use of time, energy, and resources.
 How to develop strategies?
o Organize a brainstorming meeting.
o Review the targets and agents of change.
o Review your vision, mission, and objectives.
o Work together to brainstorm the best strategies for your initiative.

Some broad strategies

o Prevention: reducing risks (increasing protection) for all.
o Early (and more intensive) intervention with those at higher risk.
o Collaborative partnerships involving all relevant parts of the community.
o Community development: building capacities for community (systems) change and
improvement.
 Some more specific strategies
o Enhancing experience and competence information,
 skill building, educational opportunities.
o Enhancing resources and opportunities
 social support, caring relationships, economic opportunities, life options.
o Modifying barriers and access poverty
 discrimination, physical barriers access to opportunities.
o Changing the broader system
 policies, laws culture.

Criteria for developing strategies

o Strategies should:
 Give overall direction.
 Fit resources and opportunities.
 Minimize resistance and barriers.
  Reach those affected.
 Advance the mission.

Summary of types of strategies

o Prevention.
o Early/intensive intervention.
o Enhancing experience and competence.
o Enhancing resources and opportunities.
o Modifying barriers/access.
o Changing broader system.

Developing strategies: How to's

o Set overall direction: the "how".
o Examples: prevention, early/intensive intervention, experience and competence ,
resources and opportunities, barriers/access, broader system.
o Record, review (based on criteria), and revise.
 Practice Exercise:
o Problem: Increased report of child abuse
o Vision: “Safe and healthy children”
o Mission: “To reduce child abuse and neglect through a coordinated approach to
prevention.”
o Objectives:
 In 6 months, the incidence of child abuse and neglect will be reduced by 30%
 In 6 months, the number of child fatalities related to abuse will be reduced by
75% percent.
 By the year 2030, the number of children who make it safely to adulthood will
be increased by 75%.
o What strategies can be employed in this program?

Preparing an Action Plan

o What is an action plan?
o It makes the vision concrete.
o It shows how you will implement strategies to attain your objectives.
o Why develop an action plan?
o To lend credibility to your organization.
o Don’t overlook details.
o For feasibility.
o For efficiency.
o For accountability.
o When do you develop an action plan?
o The “A” in VMOSA – After you develop your vision, mission, objectives, and strategies.
o Early – within 6 months.
 o Ongoing – revise monthly.

o Preparing an action plan

o Determine what people and sectors of the community should be included.
o Convene a planning group.
o Develop an action plan with action steps for all proposed changes.
o Review completed plan.
o Follow through.
o Keep everyone informed.
o Keep track of what (and how well) you have done.
o Celebrate accomplishment.
o Contents of the action plan
o What action or change will occur?
o Who will carry it out?
o By when (for how long)?
o What resources are needed?
o Communication (who should know what?)
o Ensuring member accountability
o Supportive phone calls.
o Reports on progress at meetings.
o Celebrate accomplishments.
o Criteria for the action plan
o The action plan should be:
 Complete
 Clear
 Current