# Presentation: 665956

## Reach Out and Touch:Libraries and Community Partners

- Valda Boyd Ford, MPH, MS, RN
- President & CEO,
- Center for Human Diversity, Inc.
- Director,
- Community and Multicultural Affairs
- UNMC Community Partnership
- www.centerforhumandiversity.org

*Why are we here?*

## Assessments

- Why do it?
- Do you really have a passion for the tough job ahead?
- Do you have all the time, talent, and treasure you need ?
- Does the organization, locally, regionally, or nationally, support the program?

## My Role

- Provocateur
- Advocate
- Angel on your shoulder (why should you worry about doing outreach?)

- “Each of the health professions straddles two prime value systems in American society. The first is the ***capitalistic system*** which relies on the market to settle supply/demand issues. The second is the ***healthcare system, which is rooted in the paternalistic belief*** that knowledgeable professionals will determine what is best for patients without selfish motivation.”
- http://www.aacp.org/Docs/MainNavigation/Resources/4634_needsconferencefinalreport.pdf
- David Knapp – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

## What is important?

## Paralysis of Political Correctness

## Community Partners: Equal?  Valued?

## Cultural Norms:What are you willing to do to make the partnership work?

## Special Challenges

## What is the Daily Reality?

## Is the Location Accessible?

##  Potential Barriers

## Health Issues: Whose Perspective?

## Less Obvious Threats

## Past, Present, Future

**Possible Deficits**
**Cost**
**Learning Curve**
**Frustration**

- Traditional role - - - - - - - - - Direct involvement

## From Novice to Expert

- “Grunt”
- Novice
- Wants to learn but should not teach
- True consultant
- Knows what he or she does not know
- Knows when and where to ask for help
- Guru
- Walks it, talks it, ***resonates*** it

## Importance of today’s meeting

**Leveling the field**
- Environmental assessment
- Personal assessment
- Institutional assessment
- Departmental or organizational training

## Mission  

|  |
| --- |

- Mission
- 			Vision
-                                     Values

***First lay the groundwork***

## readiness

|     Mission                Vision                   Values |
| --- |

- accountability

- Strategic thinking

## Key Element

- Clear vision of the future must be articulated by leaders, change agents, sponsors, champions or any opinion leader within the organization.
- The vision must show how changing some aspects of the culture (including enhancements) promote organizational survival or continued success.
**Leaders**
- Understand the need for change (cultural competence)
- Provide real resources to make the process work
***Resonate*** the mission, vision, and values and have champions who resonate the mission as well
- Walk the ground – constantly aerating it, allowing the soil to breathe, the trunk to strengthen, and the tree to bear fruit

## UNMC Community Partnership

- Improving the health of the community
- Focus on underserved but accessible to all
- Permanent funding stream w/ growth
- Constantly seek soft money
- Community Care Councils – North and South
- Health screenings – workplace and community (many-mini health screenings)
- TV and Radio
- Obvious and trusted presence
- Serve as consultants, role models, trainers

## Patient/Client Expectations

- Doctor knows all
- System abuses them for money
- Revolution v evolution
- Understanding of intercultural diversity
- Appropriate communication
- Appropriate interpreter
- Ask the right question

## Cultural Competence

- Unconsciously incompetent
- Consciously incompetent
- Consciously competent
- Unconsciously competent
- Purnell - 2000

## Parting Thoughts

- You do not have to serve as the “knower of all things” or the group leader
- You may say “I don’t know”
- Clients need to see you as a trusted friend
- You will need “skills” to adapt to the changing demographics of your population
- Take two deep breaths and call me in the morning  

*Thanks for Coming!*