Effective Community Programs - Organizations

Annotation: Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a nonprofit organization formed to address the epidemic of overweight, undernourished, and sedentary youth by focusing on changes at school, to improve children's nutrition and increase physical activity, which will in turn improve their readiness to learn. An outgrowth of the 2002 Healthy Schools Summit, AFHK is a public-private partnership of more than 50 national organizations and government agencies representing education, health, fitness, and nutrition. AFHK's Web site provides information on current activities in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and a searchable database that lists resources to improve schools, including materials and profiles of successful school practices.

Keywords: Databases, Child nutrition, Health promotion, Model programs, Physical activity, Schools

Annotation: The American Institutes for Research conduct and apply the best behavioral and social science research and evaluation towards improving peoples’ lives, with a special emphasis on the disadvantaged. Within the United States and internationally, AIR produces improvements in education, health, and the workforce; addresses the needs of individuals, organizations, and communities; designs and advances statistical and research methods; helps practitioners and organizations to adopt evidence-based practices; and informs public understanding and policymaking by the best evidence. Topics include child welfare, cultural competence, families, juvenile justice, mental health, school violence prevention and intervention, and schools and special education.

Keywords: Collaboration, Evaluation, Information services, Listservs, Model programs, Program development, Public policy, Research

Annotation: The Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice (CECP) at the American Institutes for Research supports and promotes a reoriented national preparedness to foster the development and the adjustment of children with or at risk of developing serious emotional disturbance. To achieve that goal, the center has a policy of collaboration at federal, state, and local levels that contributes to and facilitates the production, exchange, and use of knowledge about effective practices. The center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs and receives additional support from the Center for Mental Health Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Topics covered by the center include child welfare, cultural competence, families, juvenile justice, mental health, school violence prevention and intervention, and schools and special education. The center provides publications, list service discussions, information about promising practices and prevention programs that work, and links to further information.

Keywords: Adolescent mental health, Affective disorders, Child mental health, Collaboration, Information services, Listservs, Model programs

Annotation: The American Public Health Association (APHA) represents members from a broad array of occupations in public health. APHA brings together researchers, health service providers, administrators, teachers, and other health workers in a multidisciplinary environment of professional exchange, study, and action. APHA is concerned with a broad set of issues affecting personal and environmental health, including federal and state funding for health programs, pollution control, programs and policies related to chronic and infectious diseases, a smoke-free society, and professional education in public health. The association actively serves the public, its members, and the public health profession through its scientific programs, publications, annual meeting, awards program, educational service, and advocacy efforts. Its Web site includes a wide variety of resources, including the Community Solutions to Health Disparities database. Publications include the monthly American Journal of Public Health, manuals, directories, books, pamphlets, and a newspaper, The Nation's Health. Services to consumers include referrals, reference information, and access to searchable databases.

Keywords: Public health, Access to health care, Community programs, Consumer education, Environmental health, Guidelines, Health promotion, Information sources, Mental health, Minority health, Model programs, Professional societies, Program evaluation, Publications, Standards

Annotation: The Asset-Based Community Development Institute works to build community capacity, conduct research, develop students as the next generation of engaged civic leaders and community builders, and produce publications and other resources for practitioners and scholars in the community development field. It shares stories of community groups who are using an asset-based approach to strengthening their communities.

Keywords: Community action, Community participation, Community programs, Model programs

Annotation: The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) supports state maternal and child health programs and provides national leadership on issues affecting women and children. AMCHP accomplishes its mission through the active participation of its members and partnerships with government agencies, families and advocates, health care purchasers and providers, academic and research professionals, and others at the national, state, and local levels. AMCHP tracks and analyzes emerging policy issues that impact family health and distributes the information to subscribers electronically via the AMCHP Legislative Alert. Issues areas include adolescent and school health; best practices; child health; data and assessment; family involvement; Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program, and welfare; mental health; and women's and perinatal health. It also has a National Center for Health Reform Implementation.

Keywords: Maternal health, Advocacy, Block grants, CSHN programs, Child health, Children with special health care needs, Federal MCH programs, Guidelines, Models, Professional societies, Public policies, State programs, Technical assistance, Title V

Annotation: The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is a non-profit association that represents the public health agencies of the U.S. and territories and is engaged in a wide range of legislative, scientific, educational, and programmatic issues and activities on behalf of public health. Its mission is to formulate and influence sound national public health policy and to service state health departments in the development and implementation of programs and policies to promote heath and prevent disease. Program areas include access, infectious disease, preparedness, standards, workforce development, environmental health, public health informatics, state health services, accreditation and performance, and prevention and health promotion. Services to consumers include publications, newsletters (including the electronic Primary Care and Prevention Network News), and reference information. The Web site includes resources on evidence-based public health interventions and links to each state's public health department.

Keywords: Public Health, Access to health care, Advocacy, Conferences, Health promotion, Information services, Information sources, Legislation, Policy development, Professional societies, Program development, Program evaluation, Public health infrastructure, Public health programs, Public policies, Publications, State programs

Annotation: The Birthing Project USA is a national, community based, African American maternal and child health project that has been replicated in over 70 communities. The project provides training and support to women and organizations who are interested in starting a project in their communities; helps local projects identify and obtain necessary resources; and sponsors an annual training and networking conference. The project pairs male and female mentors (sister friends and brother friends) with expectant parents and parents of children up to one year old. The project also has three e-mail based groups that allow members, staff, participants, and supporters to connect with each other. It also provides a list of model programs.

Keywords: Blacks, Community programs, Mentors, Pregnant adolescents, Support groups

Annotation: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) specializes in researching and advancing effective school-connected programs, policies, and systems using the school location as a place-based solution for improving children's overall health and school success. CHHCS has developed a national network of leading stakeholders including researchers, practitioners, funders, and policymakers working across health, education, and family systems to facilitate communication among key experts and drive collective action. The center is a nonpartisan policy, resource, and technical assistance center located at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

Keywords: School based clinics, School health, School health education, School health programs, School health services

Annotation: The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) partners with states across the country to promote the delivery of quality heatlh-care services and innovations in publicly financed health care, especially for individuals with complex, high-cost needs. CHCS facilitates problem-solving exchanges and peer learning among a diverse range of health care stakeholders to improve access, integrate fragmented services, reduce avoidable expenditures, and link payment with quality. CHCS works directly with state and federal agencies, health plans, providers, and consumer organizations to design and implement cost-effective strategies that improve care for people with complex and high-cost needs. The Center's technical assistance and training activities are organized under four broad priority areas: 1) Health care coverage and access; 2) Integrating care for people with complex needs; 3) quality, delivery systems, and payment reform; and 4) leadership and capacity building. CHCS maintains an online library of publications, technical tools, and other resources on accelerating health care delivery innovations.

Keywords: Health care financing, Electronic publications, Managed care, Medicaid managed care, Model programs, Prevention programs, State Children', s Health Insurance program

Annotation: Child Trends is a nonprofit research organization that works to improve the lives and prospects of children and youth through high-quality research. Clients include researchers, policymakers, funders, and practitioners. Services include high-level analyses and helping organizations make their direct services more effective. Resources include indicators of children's well-being, a searchable database of evaluated programs serving children and youth and research based on those evaluations, and a national knowledge center providing insight on U.S. Latino children and families. Child Trends also hosts a newsroom and blog.

Keywords: Adolescent health, Adolescent pregnancy, Child health, Community programs, Data analysis, Data collection, Family relations, Health statistics, Information sources, Model programs, Program descriptions, Research, Statistical analysis

Annotation: The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, whose mission is to increase government effectiveness through rigorous evidence about what works. The Coalition advocates many types of research to identify promising interventions in federal social and health programs such as education, poverty reduction, crime prevention, health care, and other areas. It includes a Top Tier Evidence initiative that identifies social program models that meet top tier evidence standards set out in federal legislation and other resources.

Keywords: Evidence, Model programs, Program evaluation, Social policy

Annotation: The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making about clinical treatments. Databases include the Cochrane database of systematic reviews, the database of abstracts of reviews of effects, the central register of controlled trials, the methodology register, the health technology assessment database, and the NHS economic evaluation database. Reviews explore the evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of treatments (medications, surgery, education, etc.) in specific circumstances. Summaries of the information are available at no charge on the Web site, and full access is available through libraries, by subscription, on CD-ROM, or on a pay-per-view basis. Some countries provide free access via varous arrangements within the country.

Keywords: Databases, Evidence based medicine, Literature reviews, Therapeutics

Annotation: Communities Joined In Action is a campaign to help communities ensure health care access for all (as part of the movement to achieve 100% Access / 0 Disparities, started in 1998 by the U.S. Bureau of Primary Health Care). A private, non-profit organization, Communities Joined In Action provides access to technical expertise, peer-mentors from model communities, coaches with first-hand experience, and experts who can help communities at every step in the process to improve access to care and eliminate health disparities. The campaign collects and provides access to profiles of communities that have successfully designed and implemented integrated health care access systems, with details on structure, outcomes, lessons learned and financing. Members receive technical assistance, coalition-building advice and expertise, and special services such as state-level assistance to help improve health access and outcomes and facilitate local efforts to integrate services to achieve better health for more people at less cost. The campaign posts numerous technical documents which can be downloaded free of charge from the Web site. Communities Joined In Action was created with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Sisters of Mercy Health System, Ascension Health and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Keywords: Community programs, Access to care, Community role, Electronic publications, Healthy people 2010, Model programs, Technical assistance, Technical reports

Annotation: The Diversity Rx Web site serves as a clearinghouse of information on model programs, policies, and legal issues related to cross cultural health, in collaboration with the National Conference of State Legislatures, Resources for Cross Cultural Health Care, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Diversity Rx sponsors conferences, produces reports, and hosts an email discussion group for those interested in cross-cultural healthcare news.

Keywords: Languages, Cultural competence, Clearinghouses. , Cultural diversity, Cultural sensitivity, Culturally competent services, Health education, Linguistic competence, Model programs, Program development, Technical assistance, Training

Annotation: Guideline Central is a non-profit initiative dedicated to providing healthcare professionals with evidence-based clinical decision-support tools that are current, practical, and easily accessible. It partners with over thirty-five medical societies and government agencies to provide quick-reference tools that physicians can rely on for credible guidance in the management of a medical condition. It was established following the closure of the National Guideline Clearinghouse.

Keywords: Databases, Evidence based health care, Guidelines, Information sources, Professional standards review, Resource centers

Annotation: Healthy Teen Network, formerly the National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention, is a national resource network of individuals and organizations focused on solving problems related to adolescent pregnancy prevention, sexuality, pregnancy, and parenting. The organization serves as a resource sharing and communication network to inform service providers and others about available resources and successful program models. Some materials are available in Spanish. It publishes a quarterly newsletter and also prepares alerts on funding opportunities and legislation. The organization also sponsors conferences. In 2010 it launched an evidence-based resource center.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, Adolescent parents, Community programs, Parenting, Prevention programs, School based clinics, Self help clearinghouses, Sexuality

Annotation: The Institute for Youth, Education and Families, launched by the National League of Cities (NLC), is a national resource and advocacy center formed to strengthen the capacity of municipal leaders to enhance the lives of youth and families using partnerships and collaboration to promote measurable improvements in youth, education, and family outcomes. The institute provides information and technical assistance to municipal leaders; collects and synthesizes information on youth, education, and families across the country; and advocates the importance of youth, education, and family issues in municipal life and the involvement of youth in addressing those issues effectively. Action kits, toolkits, strategy guides, case studies, and research reports are available on the website.

Keywords: Adolescents, Advocacy, City government, Collaboration, Community programs, Education, Electronic publications, Families, Youth

Annotation: The Konopka Institute for Best Practices in Adolescent Health works to promote strategies, policies and systems to improve the health of adolescents in the state of Minnesota through providing program and policy support to the youth-serving community. The institute, located within the University of Minnesota's Center for Adolescent Health and Development, serves as a point of access to new research and to subject specialists in adolescent health both at the University of Minnesota and in the community. Programmatic information and tools are provided for use at the state and local level. Publications offered include research papers and policy briefs. The institute's Web site includes definitions of terminology and links to numerous organizations related to adolescent health.

Keywords: Adolescent development, Adolescent health, Adolescent health professionals, Adolescent health programs, Adolescent health promotion, Health policy, Model programs

Annotation: The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is a national nonprofit organization representing local health departments. NACCHO promotes national policy, develops resources and programs, seeks health equity, and supports effective local public health practice and systems. Program areas include community health, environmental health, public health infrastructure and systems, and public health preparedness. The website contains information additional information about NACCHO communications, advocacy, events, publications, and tools.

Keywords: Counties, Health officials, Health promotion, Information services, Information sources, Leadership training, Listservs, Local initiatives, Professional societies, Program descriptions, Public health, Public private partnerships, Publications, Research, Technical assistance

Annotation: The National Business Group on Health (NBGH), formerly the Washington Business Group on Health (WBGH), is a non-profit organization devoted to representing larger employers' perspective on national health policy issues and providing practical solutions to its members' most important health care problems. Members are primarily Fortune 500 companies and large public sector employers, including health care purchasers, who provide health insurance coverage to workers, retirees, and their families. Initiatives include: the Institute on Health Care Costs and Solutions; the Council on Employee Health and Productivity; the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity; the Global Health Benefits Institute; the National Committee on Evidence-Based Benefit Design; the National Leadership Committee on Consumer-Directed Health Care; and the Center for Prevention and Health Promotion. The Web site provides access to fact sheets, employer toolkits and other materials on a variety of health topics. NBGH publishes a newsletter and sponsors workshops.

Keywords: Health policy, Child health, Maternal health, Workplace health promotion

Annotation: The purpose of the National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) is to increase the capacity of health and mental health programs to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. The Center provides technical assistance and consultation, networking opportunities, and information for health professionals and policymakers about designing, implementing, and evaluating culturally competent health services, including services for children with special health care needs and their families. Resources and publications include policy briefs, checklists, self assessments, promising practices, distance learning, and conference information. The center's Web site includes a Spanish language portal for families.

Keywords: Children with special health care needs, Cultural diversity, Cultural sensitivity, Culturally competent services, Guidelines, Infant care, Information networks, Information sources, Linguistic competence, National MCH resource center, Networking, Program development, Program evaluation, Publications, Resource centers, SIDS, Spanish language materials, Title V programs, Training

Annotation: The National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) serves as a national resource for the collection and dissemination of evidence-based and best-practice information to improve services for youth involved with the juvenile justice system who have mental health problems. The center conduct research and evaluation to fill gaps in the existing knowledge base and fosters systems and policy changes at the national, state and local levels. A key aspect of the center's mission is to provide practical assistance to all persons interested in mental health and juvenile justice issues. Resources include a compendium of effective and innovative programs and policies; a list of experts and technical assistance resources; and publications that synthesize existing knowledge.

Keywords: Juvenile delinquency, Evidence based medicine, Mental health, Adolescent health, Community programs, Evidence based medicine, Information dissemination, Juvenile justice, Model programs, Online databases, Policy development, Program improvement, Research, Resource centers

Annotation: The NGA Center for Best Practices helps governors and their key policy staff develop and implement innovative solutions to challenges facing their states. Through the staff of the NGA Center, governors and their policy advisors can (1) quickly learn about what works, what doesn't, and what lessons can be learned from other governors grappling with the same problem; (2) obtain assistance in designing and implementing new programs or in making current programs more effective; and (3) receive up-to-date, comprehensive information about what is happening in other state capitals and in Washington, D.C., so governors are better prepared to react to emerging issues.

Keywords: Model programs, Program development, State government, State initiatives

Annotation: The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation is a non-profit nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of America's health care system. The foundation conducts research, policy analysis and educational activities on health care issues. It fosters information exchange between the private health care industry and government to work toward solutions to health care problems. The foundation serves as a clearinghouse for information on health care issues and gives awards annually for excellence in health care research and journalism. The foundation receives funding from diverse sources including the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Currently the foundation is working with MCHB to promote Bright Futures and Managed Care. In 2011 it initiated a Promising Practices in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program to recognize emerging or promising programs or policies in MCH.

Keywords: Policy analysis, Awards, Health care delivery, Managed care, Program management

Annotation: The National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) is a nonprofit membership organization of national service providers. The Coalition provides resources and networking opportunities for youth employment policymakers. Publications include a newsletter,Youth Notes. NYEC has developed the Promising and Effective Practices (PEPNET), a self assessment, self-nomination and peer review process to identify effective youth employment/development initiatives. Services to consumers include reference information. The coaltion sponsors conferences, training seminars and workshops.

Keywords: Adolescent employment, Coalitions, Youth services

Annotation: The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the health and well being of low-income, first-time parents and their children. NFP helps communities replicate and sustain an evidence-based program of home visiting by registered nurses. NFP sites (currently located in 20 states) are supported by a team of public health policy and administration, nursing, education and program evaluation professionals at the national office in Denver. NFP helps establish new sites and provides consultation, technical support, reporting services, and professional development for existing sites. The NFP Web site includes a directory of local sites, news updates, and fact sheets.

Keywords: Family support, Consultation, Evidence based medicine, Model programs, Nursing, Professional training, Program evaluation, Public private partnerships, Visting nurses

Annotation: The Pathways Mapping Initiative (PMI) provides access to information on community-based model programs and lessons learned, providing a Web-based knowledge base on what works (and what holds promise) for service providers, funders, policy makers, local officials, and community collaboratives. Currently available are pathways on school readiness and on family economic success. PMI was established in January 2000 as part of the Project on Effective Interventions at Harvard University and developed in partnership with the Technical Assistance Resource Center of The Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Keywords: , Community programs, Family economics, Information dissemination, Information sources, Model programs, School readiness

Annotation: The Promising Practices Network on Children, Families, and Communities (PPN) is a group of individuals and state and other organizations who are dedicated to providing quality evidence-based information about what works to improve the lives of children, families, and communities. Operated by Rand Corporation, PPN helps decisionmakers understand what approaches and programs have been shown in the scientific literature to improve outcomes in various areas such as child health and education. PPN’s target audience includes policymakers, service providers, and other decisionmakers at all levels who care about improving outcomes for children and families. The network's Web site features summaries of programs and practices that are proven to improve outcomes for children. All of the information on the site has been carefully screened for scientific rigor, relevance, and clarity. The site includes: (1) Programs that Work: overviews of programs that have demonstrated their effectiveness in rigorous studies, plus how to learn more about each program; (2) Research in Brief: summaries of evidence-based information about additional policies and practices related to children and families; (3) Service Delivery: information about coordinating service delivery, financing and budgeting, monitoring outcomes, and other management practices; and (4) Partner Pages: collections of research and information on specific priority areas of PPN’s organizational member, many of which are focused on a particular state (e.g., New York or Missouri).

Keywords: Community programs, Model programs, State programs

Annotation: Smart Start is a childhood initiative in the state of North Carolina designed to help ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. This public-private initiative provides early education funding to all of the state's 100 counties through local nonprofit organizations. Smart Start works to improve the quality of child care, make child care more affordable and accessible, and provide access to health services and other family support, Smart Start's National Technical Assistance Center provides technical assistance to communities and states and offers a variety of publications, in both English and Spanish, describing start-up efforts, lessons learned, effective practices, and quality improvement.

Keywords: School readiness, Child care, Child health, Early childhood education, Local initiatives, North Carolina, Public private partnerships, Schools, Technical assistance

Annotation: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health oversees 12 core public health offices -- including the Office of the Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps -- as well as 10 regional health offices across the United States, and 10 Presidential and Secretarial advisory committees. Component offices address vaccines, adolescent health, disease prevention and health promotion, HIV/AIDS and infectious disease policy, human research protections, minority health, population affairs, research integrity, women's health, bioethical issues, fitness, sports, and nutrition. Component offices support many initiatives, campaigns, and programs that promote the goals of public health including combating viral hepatitis, tobacco-caused illness and death, healthcare-associated infections, multiple chronic conditions, and adverse drug events. The Public Health system, Finance, and Quality Program serves as an organizational center to connect federal agencies and system partners on public health system-level issues of shared interest and mutual benefit.

Keywords: Health policy, Federal agencies, Federal programs, Model programs, Public health, Science

Annotation: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, collaborates with professionals from diverse disciplines to improve juvenile justice policies and practices. OJJDP supports states, local communities, and tribal jurisdictions in their efforts to develop and implement effective programs for juveniles. The Office strives to strengthen the juvenile justice system's efforts to protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and provide services that address the needs of youth and their families. Through its components, OJJDP sponsors research, program, and training initiatives; develops priorities and goals and sets policies to guide federal juvenile justice issues; disseminates information about juvenile justice issues; and awards funds to states to support local programming.

Keywords: Adolescent health, Adolescent parents, Homeless persons, Information services, Injury prevention, Juvenile delinquency, Runaways, School dropouts, Spanish language materials, Substance abuse, Violence prevention

Annotation: The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s predominant mission is to assist the President in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and to supervise its administration in Executive Branch agencies. In helping to formulate the President's spending plans, OMB evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures, assesses competing funding demands among agencies, and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules, testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with the President's Budget and with Administration policies. In addition, OMB oversees and coordinates the Administration's procurement, financial management, information, and regulatory policies. In each of these areas, OMB's role is to help improve administrative management, to develop better performance measures and coordinating mechanisms, and to reduce any unnecessary burdens on the public. Working with other Federal agencies, it provides an online directory of Federal programs (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore) that lists ratings of how well the programs are performing.

Keywords: Federal agencies, Government financing, Program evaluation

Annotation: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities. The website provides information about strategic initiatives, health reform, prevention, treatment, and recovery;publications in English and Spanish; data; and grants.

Keywords: Alcohol abuse, Drug abuse, Mental health, Model programs, Substance abuse prevention programs, Substance abuse treatment services

Annotation: Voices for America's Children is a national network of organizations collectively working to improve the lives of children by advocating for public policies at the federal, state, and local levels. Policy goals include equity and diversity, health, school readiness, school success, safety, and economic stability. The website provides information on the network's leadership, funding partners, jobs, and internships. Resources include a blog and media kit.

Keywords: Child advocacy, Child health, Child safety, Children, Coalitions, Community organizations, Data collection, Fundraising, Media campaigns, Philanthropy, Program development, State organizations, Strategic plans, Technical assistance