Track 4-1
Management

Successful Models of Community/Provider Collaboration and Ethnic Community Organizing for Health Issues: The King County (Washington) Health Action Plan.

The King County Health Action Plan is a blueprint for public/private partnerships to improve the health status of residents and health system performance. It emphasizes mobilization of resources to improve the health of the community through mutual responsibility and innovative strategies. It is the result of a King County Council motion and collaborative work by representatives of over forty entities. Now in its implementation phase, policy recommendations are transforming into actualized projects in the following areas: system monitoring and accountability, community benefits, expanded coverage and access, behavioral health and teen health.

From our work thus far specifically we will be able to share the following innovative approaches, and "take- home tools/techniques" :

• Examples of health status/system data monitoring activities and clusters of health status indicators revealing potential ethnic population health trends, and areas of concern in county sub regions;
• Recent survey elements relating specifically to an assessment of ethnic community(ies) health needs;
• Vulnerable populations' assessment of community health needs;
• Design and development of a comprehensive community benefits program involving collaborative efforts of health plans and providers and community and vulnerable population representatives;
• Regional issues of access to health care revealed by recent telephone surveys;
• Focus group process and activity involving follow-up with six vulnerable populations to round out survey and information collection results and to explore access and community benefits issues; and
• The process for planned "Community Conversations"; community forums to share local information about community benefits and quality indicators with community residents and their political leaders.

  Alonzo L. Plough, PhD, MPH
  Director, Seattle - King County Department of Public Health

Alonzo L. Plough, PhD, MPH, has served as Director of the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health since 1995. The Seattle-King County Department of Public Health is one of the nation’s leading local health departments with 2,000 employees and a $200 million budget serving nearly 2 million residents. Programs and services range from core prevention activities to environmental health, community oriented primary care, emergency medical services, and jail health and addiction services. Dr. Plough is also Associate Professor of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Prior to his current appointment, he served 8 years as the Director of Public Health for the City of Boston.  NEXT >

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