A “Best-in-Class”

Project in Mexico

Zeno L. Charles-Marcel, MD Scientific Advisor

Project Elements The Players and the Times

ü A conservative predominantly Roman Catholic town

ü A community-focused non-partisan Protestant

university

ü A very partisan community

ü A private teaching hospital with extensive charity

care

ü A young progressive Mayor interested in health

ü A supportive state Secretary of Health

ü An ambitious federal health program

ü A national and worldwide flu crisis and pandemic

Project Essentials

Health model: Bio-Psycho-Socio-Spiritual

Ultimate Objective: Improve the Health Culture of our community

Health PROMOTING

attitudes and behaviors

Health DESTROYING

attitudes and behaviors More

Less

Ages 2-12 2010

OverWt./Obesity 36.66%

Malnutrition 19.11%

18 schools n=1407

The Seventh-day Adventist Health Legacy: 1866

Community Mobilization: Setting the Stage

2009

"Fun, Fit & Free Festival"

Seventh-day Adventist

Health Legacy

Community Involvement: The Stage is Set

Pre-election MOUs

with all candidates

Community Service & Service Learning

emphases

Campaign sensitization

Door-to-door

Non-partisan Inter-sectorial Community Health Advisory

Committee

Respected Hospital

Visionary University

Progressive Mayor

State Government Collaborative

KEY

Inclusion of the margins

SDA Univ & Hospital

Community Engagement: Inclusivism in Philosophy and Action

Community Health Needs

Participative Municipal Government

Community thought & business leaders

ADELANTE® – NEW START®

5 Steps – Federal Program

Community

Health Needs

“OVERLAY”

Shared Vision collaborative

solutions

Community Engagement: BE where the community IS

“We” are - the community - is “Us”

Release and empowerment of societal units

Strategic alliances within and throughout the community

Non-partisan political posture

Network governance at the municipal level

Community Engagement: Maintenance

Montemorelos Our Community

Population: 64,000

Ø  Growth in all sectors (estimated reach: 20,000

Ø  Surprises from our research: food illiteracy

Ø  Skyscraper in the community landscape as evidenced by political debates and party platforms in 2012 local elections

Ø  Requests: participation and grassroots leadership

Ø  Added recreational areas: 5

Ø  High “husband satisfaction” index

2012

Neighborhood health profile mapping

Montemorelos Our Community

24% 78%

43%

57%

41% 28 y/o

Public thoroughfares

Daytime

91%

1 percent sample

Montemorelos Our Community

70% sedentary

Demonstrable interest

Expressed interest

19%

10% 5%

15%

57% 50% Believe it is BENEFICIAL

regularly

Preventive health

1 percent sample

Doctor-centered “sick-care” paradigm

Meeting resource needs to support growth

Discontinuity of municipal administrations

Perceptual errors Preconceived ideas Prejudice – “R” and personal

Local officials & customary program-itis

Trilateral Learning Curve

Overcoming Obstacles

Demonstrable evidence of success

Improve ENGAGEMENT of local bureaucrats

Innovation in administration and leveraging of human and other resources

OWNERSHIP, authenticity & transparency

ü  Campaign: games & healthy lunch box

An OPTIMISTIC Future

Becoming an integral part of the community dialogue Health: now recognized as a politico-economic issue

Strategic alliances are “win-win” focused

Significant and growing participation in the project

Solid agreements already developed

University students, research and innovation

Sustained involvement of key community stakeholders