Purdue Extension is a partner in local health coalitions. For over 10 years, through the work of the Purdue Extension Coalition Engagement Team, Extension Educators, Community Wellness Coordinators (CWCs) and others are gaining skills and support to elevate the work with their local coalitions.
Coalition Map
Information is collected annually related to the work of coalitions across the state. An interactive map has been created that shows up to three coalitions in the county, their focus, and their status as of the time of the information. When there is staff transition, some counties may not have data for a year.
Resources
Learn more about how to build a coalition – Building a Coalition: Investing in Health
With our partners in Connections IN Health (anchor to below), a series created to help those in communities determine their readiness for educational and programmatic efforts and initiatives.
The Purdue Extension Coalition Engagement Team has offered a variety of professional development opportunities over the years. Below is a four-part series focusing on how you can assess Community Readiness in your coalitions, partnerships and communities. It may be readiness to engage in a new health focus, or reinvigorate a stagnant one, or even assess if a group is ready to engage in certain programming. Community readiness is the degree to which a community is willing and prepared to take action on an issue. Levels range from no awareness all the way to full community ownership.
Partners at Connections IN Health (Indiana CTSI) and Purdue Extension Community development have utilized this model and led this series. The series overviews community readiness, details on how to assess it, how you utilize the information and how you share it in the community to help them to move forward. The series was published in January and February of 2022.
Further resources can be found through Coalition Trip, a collaborative website hosted by our partners at the Indiana CTSI Community Health Partnerships.
Indiana CTSI CHeP/Connections IN Health
Community Health Partnerships (CHeP) of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) aims to link the experience and skills of community leaders, health professionals, and university researchers to improve the health of Indiana citizens. Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame are collaborating to engage Indiana communities and citizens as partners in the research process to achieve the goal of a healthier state. With the advice and participation of community leaders, CHeP seeks to provide better ways to conduct and disseminate research about health to Indiana’s communities and citizens. Purdue Extension expands the reach of CHeP to be statewide in scope.
Approximately 20 Purdue Extension Educators are cost-shared as part of the Indiana CTSI CHeP partnership. These educators are connected with health partnerships and/or health coalitions in their communities. CHeP cost-shared educators reported that due to Purdue Extension efforts in 2021 – 2022, 232 agencies and partners were directly influenced to improve health. In addition, 65 new community-university partnerships were developed or created. Purdue Extension Educators have served as members of the CHeP Trailblazer grant review team since 2015.
An initiative named Connections in Health began in 2019 and is in strong partnership with Purdue Extension. CHeP has contracted with IDOH to oversee its chronic health disease coalitions. These include: CADI (Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Stroke Coalition of IN), HHWA (Hoosier Health and Wellness Alliance), INJAC (Indiana Joint Asthma Coalition) and the Cancer Prevention/Health Equity in conjunction with the IU Simon Cancer Center. Purdue Extension professionals have been key members of the subcommittees and initiatives of each of these coalitions.
The Connections in Health team provides many opportunities for partnership and coalition training. As of 2022, Purdue Extension professionals in Grant, Vermillion, Blackford, Washington, Lake and Madison counties are gearing up for their work.
Connections IN Health Initiatives
Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana – CADI
Hoosier Health and Wellness Allicance – HWWA
Indiana Joint Asthma Coalition – INJAC
Well Connected Communities
Extension’s Well Connected Communities initiative helps build diverse, multigenerational, cross-sector coalitions that can recognize and address systemic health inequities. By intentionally forging connections, building capacity, and taking action in these communities and across the Extension network, we can ensure that life-long and well-being are within everyone’s reach.
Well Connected Communities is a national well-being initiative of the Cooperative Extension System in partnership with National 4-H Council and support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
Purdue participated in Wave One (2017-2019) in Fayette, Gibson and Scott counties. Funding was approved for Wave Two (2019-2021) in Fayette, Greene and Scott counties. Funding has been received for Wave Three which focuses on Greene County.
Well Connected Communities Website
