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HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR
Cheryl L. Knight, Ph.D., Program Director
GOAL
To promote quality of life for citizens of Louisiana through the provision of training, technical assistance, consultation and research related to the acquisition, application and maintenance of healthy behaviors (e.g., nutrition, fitness, safety, seeking appropriate medical care, maintaining medical regimens, etc.).
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- Promote community-based health programs targeting high-needs neighborhoods/communities
- Enhance capacity in community members’ use of established strategies to ensure sustainability of interventions and programs
- Promote development of responsible policies for health service through proactive distribution of information to key stakeholders
- Extend base of evidence-based practices through research in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.
- Disseminate knowledge/information to community members, practitioners and policy-makers
- Provide consultation and technical assistance for community-based health initiatives
TOPICS/AREAS OF EXPERTISE |
- Training, technical assistance and consultation in validated assessment and program evaluation techniques
- Building partnerships with communities for purposes of program design, development, and implementation
- Specialized technical assistance and consultation for health-related behaviors associated with asthma, obesity, HIV, diabetes, hypertension, and related disorders
- Information dissemination to professionals and consumers related to prevention and intervention
OVERVIEW OF SELECTED ACTIVITIES/ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
Since its launch in January of 2004, the Health and Behavior Program has been engaged in the following activities:
- Written proposal for intensive model program included within a five-year, multi-million dollar grant awarded to the City of New Orleans through HHS/CDC (in progress)
- Establishing community and academic partnerships with relevant stakeholders
- Developing reference library of journal articles, books and periodicals
- Continue to develop and expand Health and Behavior coursework in graduate training program
DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT |
- Collaboration with federal, state and local agencies to secure interagency relationships and funding necessary to accomplish the work scope of the Health and Behavior Program
- Ongoing program development and implementation
- Development of a series of specialized training programs targeting specific healthy behaviors
- Establish partnerships within various communities, including schools, universities, and neighborhoods to promote dissemination of evidence-based practices
- Become a grant-writing and program evaluation resource for community initiatives
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