Quick Guide
Definition: Build trust with the community/residents through transparent and inclusive communication, respectful co-learning, and leveraging community expertise to inform equitable practices.
Why It Matters: Services and interventions for the community are best informed by the community ("nothing about us - without us - is for us"). Mutual partnerships between CBOs, residents, and government entities allow for beneficial exchange of information and services to improve community health at large.
Why It Matters: Services and interventions for the community are best informed by the community ("nothing about us - without us - is for us"). Mutual partnerships between CBOs, residents, and government entities allow for beneficial exchange of information and services to improve community health at large.
| Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Templates | Community Engagement & Participation Checklist | Developed by PolicyLink, this outline identifies important components of an authentic and participatory community engagement process. Characteristics of participatory community change include trust, shared vision, partnerships with public agencies, capacity, and policy action. |
| Templates | Community Engagement Assessment Tool | This Community Engagement Assessment Tool serves as a guide to help grow an organization’s understanding of community engagement and define its intentions. Organizations can use this tool with staff and external partners to assess strengths and gaps. |
| Templates | Community Engagement Toolkit | This toolkit shares a series of tools for the development of an equitable and strategic community engagement plan. It includes tools for exploring areas in the spectrum of community engagement, asset-based community development, and capacity building. |
| Trainings | Community Engagement: The People's Approach to Improving Health and Social Outcomes | This course focuses on community participation and the active role of local health departments in community engagement methods. It includes a summary of case studies, best practices, and methods for fostering community discourse and participation, as well as for incorporating community involvement into public health practice. |
| Guides | Partnering with Community- Based Organizations for More Broad- Based Public Engagement | This webinar discusses rural health equity efforts in the state of Colorado and contains real-life examples of equity work. While this resource is Colorado-centric, it is a helpful introduction to the concept of rural health equity and multi-partner collaboration necessary when addressing inequities in small, rural communities. Rural Resource |
| Frameworks | Community Engagement Framework | This community engagement framework assesses the strengths of an organization instead of starting from a needs-based approach. Values in this framework include integrity, transparency, collaboration, equity, and self-reflection. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Humboldt County Public Health | Humboldt County Public Health strives to build trust with the community through transparent and inclusive communication, respectful co-learning, and leveraging community expertise to inform equitable practices. The organization has varied examples of targeted instances of active partnership and engagement in specific programs and populations. They conduct focus groups, forums, and surveys for the community to give input on programs, projects, and experiences. Some coalitions and partnerships have more formal structures and requirements for incorporating community feedback. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Kern County Health Equity Plan | The Kern Health Equity Partnership was founded and formalized during the first year of CERI, bringing together trusted community leaders, champions, and partners across sectors, to share space in listening, collaborating and to ensure work is continuously meeting the needs of their communities. Their aim is to expand access to quality health and improved the overall health of all Kern County Residents. |
| Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Trainings | Collective Impact Part 1: Common Agenda & Shared Measure | This training is part one of a two-part introductory series to the Collective Impact framework. Participants will gain an understanding of what collective impact is and how it can be used to advance public health initiatives. |
| Trainings | Collective Impact Part 2: Mutually Reinforcing Activities, Continuous Communication, & Backbone Support | Part two of a two-part introductory series to the Collective Impact framework, this training builds upon lessons of part one by learning about the last three conditions of the Collective Impact framework and mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and backbone support. |
| Guides | Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR): A Strategy for Building Healthy Communities and Promoting Health through Policy Chang | Presented by PolicyLink and UC Berkeley, this guide combines lessons and best practices from around the country. Included are six case studies from California that share learned experiences, promising practices, sample resources, and tools to assist local leaders in planning their own CBPR inspired projects. |
| Guides | A Guide to Supporting Engagement & Resiliency in Rural Communities | While this guide is catered towards Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (MAP) process, concepts and strategies identified in this guide are relevant for rural communities. Provided are essential elements of successful engagement with rural communities, including trust and partnerships. Rural Resource |
| Frameworks | Tulare County Community Engagement Framework | The Community Engagement Framework (CEF) recognizes the importance of community mobilization in collaboration with community partners and residents. It serves as a roadmap for building credible and trustworthy relationships with key community members. By implementing the Power Building strategies, efforts are guided on how to collaborate and share power among community members and stakeholders, strengthening the foundation for improved health outcomes. It is essential to acknowledge the different levels of engagement that occur both internally and externally within your respective organization. |
| Frameworks | Prevention Institute: Collaboration Multiplier | The Collaboration Multiplier is a framework and tool used for analyzing collaborative efforts across sectors. It is designed to serve as a starting point for understanding the contributions of different fields and for building effective interdisciplinary efforts through partnerships. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency Committee Interest Letter | Community Engagement Tulare County Public Health Branch has streamlined recruitment for its advisory councils and coalitions by creating standardized recruitment materials. These materials clarify roles, responsibilities, and expectations for those interested in supporting the work of the Public Health Branch. Additionally, a Community Engagement Framework has been developed to guide staff on fostering collaboration with the community. |
| Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frameworks | The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership | The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership charts a pathway for strengthening and transforming local democracies. Leaders across multiple sectors such as CBOs, local governments, and philanthropic partners, can use this spectrum to assess and advance community engagement efforts. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Marin County Public Health Community Resilience Teams | Established within Public Health, during the pandemic, Marin County Public Health’s commitment to equitable response spurred the creation of Community Response Teams, which in the recovery phase have become Community Resilience Teams. These teams are now leading community engagement to address public health priorities, including access to services, community preparedness, and climate action. Notably, in 2023, Community Resilience Teams' Lead Agencies were onboarded as full voting members of Healthy Marin Partnership; a healthcare collaborative that has evolved into a community collaborative to achieve health equity. Community members now inform and guide public health strategies, including the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and healthcare workforce development. |