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Community Health

One of the key lessons learned in the last few decades of public health research is the importance of understanding the subtle, unique characteristics of the communities in which people live and work. Prevention strategies that work well in one community may fail in other communities because they fail to address the needs of that population. We collaborate with local leaders and organizations, who work with us to shape programs and interventions to fit the needs of their communities—including schools, rural villages, urban neighborhoods, and college campuses.

Making Health Academic

The School Health Infrastructure Project (SHIP) is working with superintendents of large urban school districts and local health department commissioners to plan for and implement modern school health programs. Such programs integrate the resources of education, health, and social service agencies to improve outcomes around four types of goals to improve knowledge, health behaviors and outcomes, education outcomes, and social outcomes. They are systemwide initiatives that are based on collaboration of youth, families, and communities with school and health organizations.

Building Safe Communities

The “Building Safe Communities” newsletter promotes and guides the implementation of community-based traffic safety programs. Each issue contains case studies of local programs, information on initiatives by federal agencies and national organizations, descriptions of new resources, and a calendar listing conferences and other events.

Breaking Barriers . . . Rompiendo Barreras

In collaboration with community-based organizations, EDC improves the education and employment of Latina women and their families, and supports economic and community development in Waltham, Mass. Participants take courses in English, GED preparation, and computers, while developing life skills in the areas of child care, family advocacy, and community activism. They also explore career opportunities, moving into first-time jobs or improving their career prospects.

Community Development in Zambia

Radio producer interviewing Efumbeni villager during needs assessment.

Through the Zambia Community Radio Project, EDC is partnering with such radio stations and other local non-governmental and community-based development organizations to create a series of village-based radio programs entitled Our Village.

An Environmental Approach to Campus Drinking

HEC is working to move colleges away from a primarily educational approach to high-risk drinking and toward a broader, public health approach. HEC collaborates with college students, administrators, and faculty to help them re-examine and expand their responses to student drinking. In addition to serving as a clearinghouse and publisher of prevention resources, HEC provides training and technical assistance to individual campuses.