Our HRiA team extends a warm welcome to all visiting for the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting and Expo! We look forward to joining so many of our colleagues and partners at this exciting event.
This year’s event is in our hometown of Boston, and we are happily participating in a record 17 sessions at the conference. These sessions provide a sample of the high impact projects we support advancing health and racial equity. Our list of sessions is also available to download.
Sunday, November 6th, 2022
1:00 PM: Positive Impacts of the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Coordination Program on Caregivers and Lessons Learned for Program Improvement
In 2018, The Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter expanded The Dementia Care Coordination (DCC) program. Expansion maintains core DCC program elements while improving communication between memory care specialists and caregivers, broadening support group access, developing accessible educational content, and strengthening collaboration with clinical partners.
Authors: Lisa Arsenault, PhD 1, Elizabeth Showalter, MPH 1, Kristin Mikolowsky, MSc 1, Nicole McGurin 2 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter
4:00 PM: Building the Leadership Capacity of Frontline Violence Intervention Workers through an Emerging Leaders Learning Collaborative
This initiative supports frontline workers who aim to transition into upper management. The Emerging Leaders collaborative works in tandem with strategies to reach executive leadership and develop pathways that bridge frontline work and middle management roles.
Authors: Natalie Johnson, MPH 1, Nichelle Sadler 2, Francisco Santos Silva, MA 3, Abigail Forrester 4, Leslie Rivera 2, Laurie Jo Wallace, MA 1, Anna Thordarson 1, Moacir Barbosa 1 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) UTEC, Inc., (3) Boston Uncornered, (4) Teen Empowerment
4:00 PM: Ending Community Violence: An Assessment of Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs in a New Jersey Cohort
In 2019, the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) received funding to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to 9 Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs) across New Jersey (NJ). The HAVI and Health Resources in Action (HRiA) are conducting We are conducting a retrospective process evaluation of the NJ cohort to identify core components of HVIPs across the nine sites.
Authors: Heather Nelson, PhD, MPH 1, Ariadna Capasso, PhD 1, Princess Fortin, MPH 2 (1) Health Resources in Action (HRiA), (2) The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (The HAVI)
5:15 PM: Engaging Government to Advance Racial Equity: A Systems-Change Approach
HRiA will outline the details of our health and racial equity training approach in response to partner needs, and recommendations for partners seeking these services. We will share lessons learned from our tailored work with a large metro city government, and with a county and state health authority.
Authors: Jennifer Masdea, MPH, Natalie Cashin, MA, Brittany Chen, DrPH, Moacir Barbosa, BA, Valerie Polletta, MPH, Health Resources in Action
Monday, November 7th, 2022
10:30 AM: Oral Health Needs and Barriers to Care in Two Demographically and Economically Diverse Communities: Findings from an Oral Health-Focused Community Needs Assessment
Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), a safety-net healthcare system near Boston, MA, has undertaken an assessment focusing narrowly on the oral health of residents in two communities. A mixed-methods assessment captures perspectives of residents through surveys and focus groups. Data collection activities captured perceptions of oral health behaviors/beliefs and experiences accessing oral healthcare.
Authors: Lisa Arsenault, PhD 1, Chloe Cheung, MPH 1, Eva Chow, BS 1, Alec S. Eidelman, DMD, MPH 2 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) Cambridge Health Alliance
10:45 AM: How Tribal and Indigenous Peoples Serving Organizations (TIPSOs) are Promoting Wellness through Their COVID-19 Responses
This session will describe and explore the community-led and based approaches that TIPSOs use to reduce the impact of COVID-19 while holistically addressing the wellbeing of their tribal and indigenous communities. Two of the funded TIPSOs, The Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe and the North American Indian Center of Boston, will share how they are weaving in spiritual care and promotion of self-care into their COVID-19 education and outreach responses.
Authors: Cheryl Cromwell 1, Melissa Ferretti 2, Raquel Halsey 3, Antonia Blinn 4, Erica Piedade 4, Daisy Ortega 5 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, (3) North American Indian Center of Boston, (4) Massachusetts Department of Public Health, (5) Health Resources in Action
1:00 PM: Perception of the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Coordination Program among Referring Providers and Specific Benefits to Organizations without a Dedicated Care Coordination Team
The DCC program has fostered partnerships with clinical providers and healthcare insurers across New England to support the non-clinical needs of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers. A comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation, undertaken in collaboration with Health Resources in Action, has demonstrated numerous beneficial impacts to care practice among referring clinical partners.
Authors: Elizabeth Showalter, MPH 1, Lisa Arsenault, PhD 1, Kristin Mikolowsky, MSc 1, Nicole McGurin 2 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter
2:30 PM: Seizing the Opportunity for Equitable Recovery through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
In this workshop and based on our experiences in Massachusetts, we will describe, discuss, and collectively identify solutions that: increase power for disenfranchised populations to decide how public resources get spent (not just provide input); and normalize actions that demonstrate how government can collaborate with residents who have been historically excluded.
Authors: Erika Gaitan, MSW, Ben Wood, MPH, Mo Barbosa, MA Health Resources in Action
2:30 PM: Health Equity in Massachusetts: Lessons Learned During the Time of COVID
This session will discuss how MA has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, how diverse communities have responded, and how communities and the state understood the causes of health inequity prior to COVID-19. The panel presenters will provide insights on the state and several communities’ responses and the local health equity landscape.
Panelists: Tom Brigham1, Rodrigo Monterrey, MPA2, Nassira Nicola, MA, ADAC1, Ben Wood, MPH3, Jessica del Rosario, MPA1. Moderator: Karen Mancera Cueras, DrPH, MS, MPH, CHES4. (1) Massachusetts Department of Public Health, (2) Tufts Medicine, (3) Health Resources in Action, (4) Illinois Department of Public Health.
2:30 PM: The Unique Role of Faith-Based Organizations in COVID-19 Response and Beyond
HRiA outlines the details of our health and racial equity training approach in response to partner needs, and recommendations for potential partners seeking these services. Hear the lessons learned from our work with a large metro city government, and with a county and state health authority.
Authors: Gihan Suliman, MS1, Reverend Kenneth Young, MA Religion, M. Div. 2, Geri Medina, MPH 3, Tamar Kaim Doniger, MBA 4, Stacey Chacker, BA 3 (1) JAHAN Women and Youth Initiative, (2) Massachusetts Council of Churches, (3) Health Resources in Action, (4) MA Department of Public Health
2:45 PM: Advancing Equity through Systems Change: Building Capacity Across Oregon’s Public Health System
As a part of their public health modernization commitment, OHA’s Public Health Division (PHD) has catalyzed intentional work across the public health system’s levels – including local public health (LPH), the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB), and within the Division itself – to build capacity to advance health and racial equity through systems change approaches.
Authors: Victoria Demchak, MRP 1, Cara Biddlecom, MPH 1, Sara Beaudrault, MPH 1, Veronica Irwin, PhD, MPH 2, Ben Wood, MPH 3, Brittany Chen, DrPH 3 (1) Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division, (2) Oregon State University, (3) Health Resources in Action.
4:30 PM: Racial Discrimination and Mental Health within the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Massachusetts COVID-19 Community Impact Survey
The high rates of experiences of discrimination within the AAPI community during the pandemic have had a significant negative impact on the mental health of members of the AAPI community, highlighting the need for mental health and violence prevention outreach and resources.
Authors: Ta-wei Lin, DrPH, MPH 1, Caroline Stack, MPH 1, Elizabeth Beatriz, PhD 1, Nicholas Griffiths, MPH 1, Ana Kantorowski, MPH1, Emily Sparer-Fine, ScD, MS 1, Allison Guarino, MPH 1, Kathleen Fitzsimmons, PhD, MPH 1, Vera Mouradian, PhD 1, Rebecca Dawson, PhD, MPH 1, Glory Song, MPH 1, Amy Flynn, MS 2, Lisa Arsenault, PhD 2, Lauren Cardoso, PhD 1, W.W. Sanouri Ursprung, PhD 1 (1) Massachusetts Department of Public Health, (2) Health Resources in Action.
4:45 PM: Supporting Neighborhood-Based Collaboratives in Addressing Health Equity through a Multi-Year, Collective Impact Approach
The Children’s Health Equity Initiative improves health equity through collaborative-led development of multi-sector approaches, systemic changes, and community cohesion. Collaboratives working in neighborhoods with the highest concentrations of children of color and child poverty developed solutions addressing child/family health and well-being, and/or community/ family/child resilience. Authors: Debbie Lay 1, Tara Agrawal 1, Shari Nethersole1, Urmi Bhaumik 1, Stacy Walker 1, John Riordan 1, Mo Barbosa 2, Brittany Chen 2, Daisy Ortega 2 (1) Boston Children’s Hospital, (2) Health Resources in Action
4:45 PM: A Pro-Equity Approach to Tobacco Control Enforcement: Transitioning from Police to Public Health Enforcement of Commercial Tobacco Control Laws
In summer 2020, APHA’s Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Section called for the removal of police from commercial tobacco control enforcement to ensure enforcement strategies do not undermine broader health equity goals. This is the first research to examine the strengths and challenges of public health- versus police-led enforcement models.
Authors: Ilana Raskind, PhD 1, Jamie Fleshman, SPT 2, Tasfia Jahangir 2, Lisa Henriksen, PhD 3 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, (3) Stanford Prevention Research Center
Tuesday, November 8th, 2022
10:30 AM: The Road to Social Equity: A Catholic Parish’s Journey from Equity Assessment to Planning to Action
In the wake of the uprising for social justice and the nation’s reckoning with systemic racism after the death of George Floyd in 2020, Saint Cecilia embarked on an initiative known as The Road to Social Equity. As part of this effort, Saint Cecilia partnered with local nonprofit, Health Resources in Action, to conduct an equity assessment and strategic planning process.
Authors: Erika Gaitan, MSW 1, Leah Bennett 2, Amanda Ayers 1, Carly Caminiti 2, Valerie Polletta 3 (1) Health Resources in Action, (2) Saint Cecilia Parish, (3) Heath Resources in Action
10:30 AM: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals across the spectrum: Results from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Community Impact Survey
Despite limited data on health outcomes in LGBTQ+ communities, disproportionate impacts on mental health during COVID-19 on marginalized communities are apparent. More robust data collection within LGBTQ+ communities is needed to better assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental health.
Authors: Matthew Tumpney 1, Rebecca Han 1, Lauren Larochelle 1, Rebecca Dawson 1, Kathleen Fitzsimmons 1, Amy Flynn 1, Nicholas Griffiths 1, Allison Guarino 1, Ana Kantorowski 1, Ta-wei Lin 1, Vera Mouradian 1, Emily Sparer-Fine 1, Caroline Stack 1, Lisa Arsenault 2, Lauren Cardoso 1 (1) Massachusetts Department of Public Health, (2) Health Resources in Action
5:00 PM: Disrupting Structural Racism Through State and Community Partnership
Through this presentation, HRiA will outline the details of our health and racial equity training approach in response to partner needs, and recommendations for potential partners seeking these services. The presentation will share lessons learned from our tailored work with a large metro city government, and with a county and state health authority.
Authors: Alberte Altiné-Gibson, MPA, Kevin Myers, MSPH, Jen Lee, MPH, Abby Atkins, MSW, Emily Breen, BS, Health Resources in Action
