The Health Utilization Improvement Model (HUIM) Volunteer & Internship Opportunities
Purpose/Background:
Purpose:
To provide community service opportunities and real life experience in community health research and practice for students in Institutions of Higher Learning.The HUIM:
The HUIM program addresses the problem of low levels of health services utilization and basic health education in the Drew University Head Start population. Our population is often the working-poor, who are trying to make ends meet, and often can not afford health coverage, and so can not afford preventive and acute care, and must delay care until serious problems arise. Sometimes they simply do not know where to go or know how to utilize the services available to them. Health services utilization is handicapped by lack of knowledge of existing health services, low understanding of well child care standards, lack of basic health education, low self-advocacy skills, infrequent routine encounters with providers, and provider insensitivity to the unique needs of Head Start families.Parents:
At intake, all enrollees are screened using California and American Academy of Pediatrics well child care standards, and are provided utilization activation tools. Based on screening outcome, enrollees are referred to needed services and mentored as needed. Health Educational workshops are provided to parents during routine parent educational sessions. Parent advocates are recruited to attend the staff workshops and then mentored on advocacy strategies.Providers:
Head Start enrollment databases are used to identify providers with five or more non-compliant enrollees and then on site in-service orientation is scheduled to share information on the unique needs of Head Start families. Information sessions include how to complete Head Start forms, billing practices, class and cultural issues that handicap self- expression by Head Start families.Volunteers:
A volunteer program is critical to the effective implementation of the HUIM. Volunteers drawn from institutions of higher learning help in the development of training content, data collection, data analysis, and case management tools. Volunteers also help in providing parent and provider education workshops.Scope of work
The range of activities a volunteer participates in will depend on the volunteer’s educational and experiential background.
Volunteers will work in the following areas:
- Update Training Content:
- Review current health services research and standards in order to update the content of parent and provider training modules.
- Develop new training modules as needed.
- Identify community collaborators for needed parent and staff training.
- Presentations:
- Conduct training and orientation workshops for the community members, parents, providers, and staff as needed.
- Conduct HUIM displays at Health Fairs and lead Questions and Answers sessions.
- Data Collection and Analysis:
- Administer baseline and follow up surveys to program participants
- Administer event specific pre and post surveys
- Participate in data collection instrument development
- Participate in data analysis and manuscript and abstract development
- Case management
- Screen families to determine need
- Develop service coordination plan for family
- Facilitate implementation of family plan
Hours of Work and Location:
- Time Commitment. We require a minimum time commitment of 4 hours a workday and 8 Hours a Week.
- Location. Most activities will take place at the Charles R. Drew Head Start Administrative Offices located at - 135 West Victoria Street, Long Beach CA 90805, as well as in the field during health fairs or workshop trainings or presentation. Research activities can be done at other locations after consultation with Program Manager.
For additional information contact Sarah Kima Johnson, Program Manager at: 310-605-0164, X226, or Peachie Bangloy, Program Coordinator at: 310-668-3346.