The Community Guide covers many health topics and types of interventions for behavior change, disease prevention, and environmental change, identifies where more research is needed, and complements other decision support tools, such as Healthy People 2020, and the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services.
The Community Guide addresses the following questions:
- Which program and policy interventions have been proven effective?
- What might effective interventions cost; what is the likely return on investment?
- Are there effective interventions that are right for my community?
There are many ways to use the Community Guide within your organization:
Programs & Services: Identify community health issues and draft measurable program objectives that can be used to select evidence-based interventions to help achieve your objectives.
Policy Development: Identify what laws and policies promote public health and at what cost, draft evidence-based policies and legislation, justify funding decisions and proposals, and support policies that promote the health of your community.
- Education: Educate public health professionals, assist with student projects, and promote the health of employees and students in your community.
- Funding Opportunities: Reference the evidence, recommendations, findings, and supporting materials in areas where there are evidence gaps to write your proposals.
Research: Review studies that address questions about effectiveness, applicability and harms. These agendas will help you conduct research, as well as secure funding.
Because The Public Health Foundation (PHF) recognizes the importance of the Community Guide in creating and sustaining healthy communities, we have partnered with the CDC to increase awareness, adoption, and use of the findings and recommendations outlined in the Community Guide by implementing the following programs:
Public Health Works
This program will be developed and implemented to provide ongoing training focused on increasing the effective and efficient use of recommendations from the Community Guide. Programs will be delivered through webstreaming with a live component initially and then an archived program for ongoing use. Continuing education will be offered for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Department staff and others. Check back for more details in the coming weeks.
"I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest
In an effort to recognize exemplary community-based collaborative activties for public health, PHF is holding a contest for all state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments; community health coalitions; and other organizations that have used or are currently using the findings and recommendations outlined in the Community Guide to improve health in their communities. These “Community Guides” will serve as mentors in their area for others who are looking for information on successful, results-oriented interventions. Contest rules and guidelines are available online.
What's the Buzz? It's the Community Guide
PHF is working to promote awareness and use of the Community Guide through multi-media channels. PHF is also encouraging a community of learning and sharing surrounding the Community Guide and would like for public health and other professionals to share their experiences and success stories in working with the Community Guide.
For previous success stories, please see last year's 2011 "I'm Your Community Guide!" contest winners.
For updates from the Community Guide, be sure to check out PHF's news section and monthly newsletter, "Hot Off the Press." Please direct questions about PHF's promotion of the Community Guide to abarber@phf.org.
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