Education and Intervention Through Community Based Organizations

1
Education and Intervention Through Community
Based Organizations

• Kevin Robinson
• CBO Liaison
• Syphilis Elimination Project
• Baltimore City Health Department

2
Creating Leadership

• Syphilis Elimination Plan Working Group (SEPWOG)
  identified the lack of community leadership in
  focusing on syphilis in Baltimore City.
• This problem was addressed by partnering with
  CBOs through issuing Requests For Proposals
  (RFPs).

3
Criteria for RFPs

• Must demonstrate ground-level contact with any
  one of the following target populations
• Sex for Drugs / Money
• MSM (Males who have sex with other males)
• Drug Abuse
• Private, non-profit 501(c) 3 community service
  organization

4
RFP Selection Process

• January 2001 - RFPs were advertised in various
  local print media
• 10 CBOs submitted abstracts
• February 2001 - An Independent Review Board
  (SEPWOG Members) evaluated each proposal and
  made recommendations to health commissioner
• 6 CBOs funded CY2O01 and 2002

5
Funded Organizations
6
Funded Organizations
7
Goals of CBO Syphilis Elimination Projects

• Promote Baltimore City Health Department STD
  Clinics and services
• Provide syphilis screening to high-risk people
  who do not normally access STD services
• Educate people about syphilis disease including
• Transmission
• Prevention
• Treatment

8
Role of Syphilis Elimination CBO-Liaison

• Provide technical assistance to CBOs
• Maintain evaluation data related to syphilis
  elimination activities
• Give feedback to the CBOs on their respective
  progress toward achieving goals
• Serve as point of contact for questions or
  concerns

9
CBO-Needs Assessment

• At start of projects, each CBO outlined needs in
  the following areas
• Technical Assistance
• Assistance in modifying, collecting, or analyzing
  data related to syphilis elimination activities
• Educational Assistance
• Basic STD prevention information and counseling
  for staff
• BCHD and SEP staff provided assistance where
  needed

10
Evaluation Tools for Improvement

• Evaluation component was required for all funded
  CBOs
• For several CBOs, this was their first formal
  experience with the evaluation process
• This has proven to be beneficial in the
  assessment of their total program structure

11
Bi-Monthly Grantees Meeting

• Update CBOs on
• National and local syphilis rates
• Syphilis transmission hotspots within
  Baltimore City
• Each CBO presents activities to date
• Discuss any collaboration concerns, needs and
  protocols

12
CBO Syphilis Elimination Activities

• Education
• Small focus groups
• Community outreach
• One-on-one counseling
• Health fairs
• Screening
• CBO Test sites
• Referrals to Baltimore City STD Clinics

13
Social Marketing Collaborations with CBOs

• CBOs assist in the dissemination of literature,
  flyers, and posters developed by the Syphilis
  Elimination Project Team
• Some CBOs are developing their own educational
  tools that target specific risk populations and
  is culturally sensitive.

14
CBO - Syphilis Awareness Campaign

• Slogans adopted by Sisters Together and Reaching
  (STAR) are
• Fear Not, Results Can Only Help
• Keep It Real

15
Through CBO Syphilis Elimination
Activities...June 1, 2001 December 31, 2001

• 1523 - Received syphilis prevention
  education
• 553 - Screened for syphilis
• 44 - Positive syphilis reactors

16
Syphilis Reactors CBO Screening

• Of the 44 reactive syphilis tests
• 8 were infected and treated
• 36 were previously treated

17
Meeting the Target

• Overall the 6 funded CBOs exceeded their
  combined target goal for screening and education
  for CY2001

18
Syphilis AwarenessThe Domino Effect

• Prior to CBO funding, most community
  organizations did not have ongoing syphilis
  elimination activities
• Through our CBO partners and BCHD, other
  community organizations have become active
  participatants in syphilis elimination

19
Conclusion

• Collaboration of community and Baltimore City
  Health Department has had a major impact in
  reducing the rate of syphilis in Baltimore City
• The relationship between BCHD and community
  groups has been productive and beneficial for all
  parties