Improving Cultural Competence to Reduce Behavioral Health Disparities

Evidence-based practices have been labeled the gold standard, but is this always the case?  Do these practices reduce racial and ethnic behavioral health disparities, or could they contribute to their continuation? On this webinar, Dr. Kenneth Martinez will review the strengths and limitations of using evidence-based behavioral health practices across cultures and explore some effective alternatives, including community-defined evidence.  Next, Rick Ybarra will discuss the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health’s efforts to culturally adapt evidence-based practices for communities of color.

Supporting Breastfeeding as a Strategy for Improving Children's Nutrition and Healthy Development

The debate is over! Breastfeeding improves the health of mothers and their children.” This was one of the opening lines at the first Annual Summit on Breastfeeding in Washington, DC, in June 2009. Not only is breastfeeding free, available everywhere, and used in all cultures, current scientific evidence demonstrates the immediate and lifelong health benefits for children that are derived from the practice.  

How can we inform and assist communities in taking advantage of this important, well-documented resource? Join us on this call as we explore:  

-What are the evidence-based benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and children?      
-Where are the gaps in breastfeeding rates?
-How can community-based initiatives provide essential opportunities for improving the practice of breastfeeding in the United States?  

Increasing Access to Dental Care through the Use of New Midlevel Providers

Underserved populations in the United States frequently lack access to dental care and experience higher rates of oral disease and unmet oral health needs. To help fill these gaps in care and reduce disparities, new models to train midlevel dental providers are being developed. On this call, Dr. Burton L. Edelstein will discuss his recent report Training New Dental Health Providers in the U.S. (funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation). Interest in this area is growing and both state and federal governments have taken steps to support such providers, but plenty of work remains. Next, Dr. Albert K. Yee will provide an update on the Dental Health Aide Therapist program run by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. This program has successfully increased access to dental care for Alaska Natives who are often isolated in rural villages and lack local dentists.  

Funders' Discussion on the Social Innovation Fund

Grantmakers for Children, Youth & Families; Grantmakers In Health; and Grantmakers Income Security Taskforce cosponsored a funders' discussion on the Social Innovation Fund (SIF). This audioconference provided funders and philanthropic advisors with a timely opportunity to discuss and respond to the newly released draft Notice of Funding Announcement for public comment on the SIF. The deadline for public input is January 15, 2010. The final SIF funding notice is expected to be released in February 2010. An announcement of the selected grantmaking institutions is expected in the summer of 2010. 

Strength in Numbers: Building Effective Coalitions

A strong coalition of individuals and organizations that share common advocacy objectives can be a persuasive force in achieving policy change. But effective coalitions do not often build themselves! This audioconference examined how health funders have supported the development and operations of advocacy coalitions to inform policy decisionmaking and explored the key factors predicting the success of these efforts.

2009 Audioconference Series

2008 Audioconference Series

2007 Audioconference Series

2006 Audioconference Series

2005 Audioconference Series

2004 Audioconference Series

2003 Audioconference Series