Community Education and Health Services.

Overview & Synopsis

Because it is based on the premise that learning is a lifelong process and that citizen involvement is essential to neighborhood problem solving, community education is particularly attuned to the current needs of cities and can be a major vehicle for cities attempting to provide convenient, comprehensive health services in an efficient, cost-effective manner. Community education health programs can include a variety of preventive health care services, including health screenings, immunizations, and health education. School-housed clinics can provide accessible prenatal and infant care, dental services, and health programs for the elderly. Among those cities which are currently offering such health services are Elizabeth, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Boston, Massachusetts; Anchorage, Alaska; Austin, Texas; Bolingbrook, Illinois; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Newton, Massachusetts. Key features of some of these programs include bilingual and immigrant health services and prenatal care awareness campaigns. (This issue paper contains descriptions of the community education programs in each of the above-mentioned cities, as well as implementation strategies and resources for use in initiating the community education process.) (MN)