United States Public Health Service (USPHS): Mobilizing ...



United States Public Health Service (USPHS): Mobilizing Communities to Solve the Problem of Childhood Obesity “Let’s Move!” is a national initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama to “raise a healthier generation of kids” and help address the public health crisis of childhood obesity. The White House is working with DHHS, DoE, and USDA to develop strategies and resources to combat this national threat. USPHS deployment teams are also prepared to assist in the effort. The USPHS is uniquely positioned to assist in implementing the strategies of “Let’s Move!” at the community level. In fact, the “Let’s Move!” campaign is completely consistent with the mission of the USPHS: “To protect, promote, and advance the public health and safety of the nation.” As an elite team of more than 6,500 full-time, well-trained, highly qualified public health professionals, USPHS officers already deliver public health promotion and disease prevention programs, and advance public health science across the country. USPHS Officers serve on the frontlines in the nation's fight against disease and poor health conditions, as well as provide leadership during, and response to public health crises such as obesity. The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake." – First Lady Michelle Obama at the “Let’s Move!” launch.In addition to the daily duties of its officers, USPHS also staffs a range of public health response teams who provide medical, behavioral, and public health services in time of crisis or great national need. They are trained in a crisis leadership approach known as the “Mercy Model,” which promotes the development of strategic partnerships, health system interventions, and population-based healthcare services.? Developed many years ago by USPHS?humanitarian assistance and disaster relief officers, it uses very small teams (generally 4-6), with limited to no resources beyond their expertise and leadership, to positively impact entire healthcare and response systems at home and globally.? The Mercy Model takes its name from program approaches developed by USPHS officers deployed on the U.S. Navy hospital ship, Mercy, to the South Asian tsunami of 2004.? The lessons learned from their experience, as well as subsequent public health crisis response missions, were compiled into this leadership approach that is completely DHHS from conception to execution.? The model was most recently used very successfully during responses to the tsunami in American Samoa, the earthquake in Haiti, and during deployments to tribal suicide clusters, demonstrating a range of services in a variety of settings addressing small to large scales of need. Its success can be measured by direct public health interventions, as in over 6,000 immunizations?following the Haiti earthquake, or over 65 trainers receiving psycho-social training following the American Samoa tsunami that in turn directly served over?900 children.??However, its successes are best measured in terms of sustainable capacity building for the affected area including creating a formal post graduate training program for social work in American Samoa,?implementing?health?service programs?for?over 1100 youth in tribal communities,?and an ongoing vaccination program in Haiti.? Everyone has a role to play in reducing childhood obesity, including parents, elected officials from all levels of government, schools, health care professionals, faith-based and community-based organizations, and private sector companies. Your involvement is key to ensuring a healthy future for our children.As the White House has led federal partners in developing the strategy of “Let’s Move!”, USPHS Mercy Teams can support local communities in collaborating to implement “Let’s Move!” USPHS deploys Mercy Teams that can engage communities at multiple levels to help those communities create programs and deliver services using Health System Teams (HST) which work with health system leadership, Community Health Teams (CHT), which work with local direct services, and Population-based training teams, which help communities develop large scale training programs (PPT).? Engaging a community at multiple levels would provide a more solid foundation for sustainable implementation of the four pillars of “Let’s Move!” This could include the HST’s providing consultation with mayors, local government, school officials, and other key partners on healthcare delivery and infrastructure development.? The CHT’s could provide education/ training to community leaders, faith-based and neighborhood organizations, parents and children. ?The PTT’s could develop curricula for healthcare workers and providers, and school personnel to ensure long term sustainability and increased competencies. All Mercy teams are trained to integrate professions, approaches and worldviews into actual programming and to promote primary use of community programs that enable communities to solve their own problems.? This aspect of the model empowers the community, validates ownership, and fosters program autonomy. The?Mercy teams?never supplant existing resources; rather?the teams?extend and empower current services and programs.?During the upcoming 2011 USPHS field training exercise (FTX) efforts, USPHS Mercy Team teams will again be conducting their deployment trainings in underserved communities throughout the nation. The training, in part, will focus on community public health issues, including implementing strategies for the "Let's Move!" campaign.? In addition to the program development, as part of our local public health support, we are also evaluating community needs and capabilities for other public health programming including anti-bullying, suicide prevention, and tobacco cessation. USPHS Mercy Teams will provide a great return on investment be ensuring limited resources are maximized for sustainable interventions at the community level. In turn, the physical, emotional, and economic health of a community will be improved. ................
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