VISTA Project: Communities In Action

VISTA Member Name: Matthew Roberts

Site Name: Richland County Health Department

  Date: July 10, 2007

  What step in the Community Building Process is your project: Developing the action and evaluation plans

  What is the overall goal of the Project: Support the development of a sustainable community building process that combines all aspects of health and economic development to improve quality of life in eastern Montana.

Please review the VAD Guidance on the previous page and sign this document when it has been completed and as it is updated.

  Site Supervisor Signature:

  VISTA Member Signature:

VISTA Member Activities and Steps Checklist

Planned Period of Work

Goal: Address community poverty-related needs by strengthening the community and the development of infrastructure through a community building process. The process will engage individual citizens, citizen groups, and agencies to address community needs and will enable the community to develop and implement a strategic plan resulting in sustainable activities to meet community needs.

On-going

Activity 1: Work on the RCHD Strategic Plan
Step 1: Review the current plan.
Step 2: Complete an assessment of the Department. (provided by administrator)
Step 3: Work with the Advocacy Committee to put action steps in the logic model.
Step 4: Look at the Social Index and tie it into an evaluation plan for RCHD where appropriate.

Activity 1 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 1 Completed (date): _________

Activity 2: Work on a plan to provide a comprehensive, community driven approach to chronic disease management. (RHN/Diabetes Project model and county strategic plan)
Step 1: Review the history of the Richland Health Network (RHN)
Step 2: Review the literature for other similar models.
Step 3: Participate in the Senior Health Coalition, Nutrition Coalition, City Rec. Committee meetings and  attend RHN meetings.
Step 4:  Meet with Lisa Aisenbrey (Sidney Health Center) to work on some goals for over-lapping chronic disease issues. Step 5 and 6 are examples of over-lapping projects.
Step 5: Complete the Fit Trail project. A grant was written by a previous VISTA.
Step 6: Look for sustainable support for promoting indoor walking options.
Step 7: Explore the need for a community advisory board for chronic disease issues.
Step 8: Write the plan and present it identified audiences.

Activity 2 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 2 Completed (date): _________

Activity 3: Write State Diabetes Grant
Step 1: Look at past RWJF grant and review the goals of the State to address chronic disease.
Step 2: Talk to state Chronic Disease Bureau staff.
Step 3:  Research the diabetes/pre-diabetes problem in Richland County.
Step 4:  Work with the administrator and Sidney Health Center representative (Lisa) on writing the grant.

Activity 3 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 3 Completed (date): _________

Activity 4: Identify and develop a strategy to address a chronic disease issue in Richland County. (Hopefully one that ties into the county goals in the strategic plan)
Step 1: Assess what the issues are (using the social health index, previous assessments) in Richland County
Step 2: Present the issue to the RCHD administrator.
Step 3:  Develop a strategy to be presented to the Board of Health.
Step 4:  Build the strategy into the current strategic plan for the health department where appropriate.

Activity 3 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 3 Completed (date): _________