Using Macro-Techniques to Impact Public Health Outcomes: A Successful University-Community Partnership

Overview: This workshop aims to highlight how a task force model uses a campus and community framework to increase equity in targeted communities. This work has demonstrated that organizations can work across traditional silos between health care agencies, education, business, human services, faith communities, and government to achieve public health objectives.Proposal text: University-community partnerships are proven-successful models to sharing essential health information across diverse communities (Newman, Bustamante, & St. Amant, 2019). Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, public health communication has become even more important as health messaging is constantly changing. Public health communication is enhanced as a network of partnering institutions is built to share information in real-time (Ratzan, Sommariva, & Rauh, 2020).
In June of 2020, a university-community partnership formed in a northeastern county to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and disseminate public health information. This partnership is a collaborative of 25+ organizations/entities that works together to identify community needs and to facilitate a collaborative, stakeholder-driven, pandemic intervention in proven-risk census tracts and neighborhoods. The task force, led by a local, small-midsize university, is an example of how campus and community collaborations lead to successful outcomes for neighborhoods experiencing health disparities and inequities. The task force works across various sectors to collaborate to improve the overall well-being of local community residents. We work with those traditionally considered to be in the healthcare industry, but we also work to break down silos, working with those in education, business, human services, faith communities, and government to build a healthier and more equitable community. The task force initiative is facilitated by a macro practitioner who brings together high-interest and high-influence stakeholders using macro-social work techniques

Through the provision of social, health, education, and allied services, these community-based organizations work closely, daily, with the population most impacted by COVID-19. Data shows that there are county-level determinants of COVID-19 vulnerability (Cahill, Kutac, & Rider, 2021). We have continually responded to the pandemic by engaging in the tracking and analysis of county-level COVID-19 data) (both positivity rates and vaccination rates. Our analysis of data and evidence-based community organizing, and public health community response strategies have driven our COVID-19 response strategy. We have also engaged in the facilitation of community, residential testing that removes testing barriers, the facilitation of community-based vaccination clinics, the education of community members about prevention and early intervention measures as well as the COVID-19 vaccination, the facilitation of personal protective equipment distribution, and the identification of changing community needs throughout pandemic. The task force has taken an action-oriented, systems-based approach to promoting health equity.

Equity has emerged as a moving target in society, especially over the last two years. Many organizations are currently assessing their ability to seek equitable outcomes for their communities and clients. This workshop aims to highlight how a task force model uses a campus and community framework to increase equity in real-time in target zip codes. The work of the task force has garnered multiple honors as it has demonstrated that organizations can work across traditional territorial lines to achieve public health objectives. At this interactive workshop, attendees will gain knowledge about useful tools to reach targeted populations along with strategies on how to formulate and leverage university-community partnerships to positively impact public health outcomes.