At the AWC December Community Breakfast, discussions echoed the community's aspirations for a transparent and comprehensive Health Fair. Key concerns ranged from ensuring a detailed list of services offered to address potential barriers faced by undocumented individuals and refugees. Language accessibility and follow-up care were also prominent topics, underscoring the community's desire for inclusivity and genuine engagement. As we reflect on past experiences and insights shared, our collective focus emerges: to craft a Health Fair that not only addresses health needs but fosters accessibility, trust, and support for every individual who engages with this vital initiative.

AWC December Community Breakfast Key Takeaways

1. The community is advocating for transparency regarding the services available at the AWC Health Fair. They are seeking a comprehensive and detailed list of the offerings to ensure attendees understand what assistance is accessible to them.
2. There’s a concern within the community about potential barriers faced by undocumented individuals and refugees in accessing these services. Highlighting any limitations or restrictions is essential to manage expectations and offer alternative support or guidance for those who might be excluded due to legal or administrative constraints.
3. The community has expressed concern about the potential lack of assistance or guidance in Spanish at the AWC Health Fair.
4. Medical organizations expressed growing concern over the challenges faced by individuals without insurance who receive services at the AWC Health Fair. The worry centers around the need for follow-up care, particularly at low-income medical offices, where resources may be strained.
5. Community members are expressing a desire for resources that guide how to manage and afford medical costs, especially for necessary follow-up care.
6. Organizations would like to have some paid positions that their organizations can fill to support the Health Fair.
7. Certain community members and organizations are advocating for children’s activities. They aim to ensure a family-friendly environment, emphasizing the need for engaging programs suitable for younger attendees.

Question One

How can we ensure the offered screenings align best with the community's health concerns and needs? Are there specific health issues prevalent in our community that we should prioritize through these screenings?

The responses focused on tailoring screenings to meet community health needs and ensuring accessibility while establishing guidelines for newcomers. Key points included:

1. Aligning Screenings with Community Needs: Prioritize health concerns prevalent in the community through surveys and engagement with organizations. Address specific issues like chronic diseases, mental health, uninsured, and undocumented individuals.
2. Clear Guidelines for Newcomers: Establish clear rules and expectations for accessing services. Consider providing navigators and interpreters to assist individuals/families, especially for refugees/asylum seekers.
3. Diverse Services Offered: Expand beyond traditional healthcare services. Include cultural relevance, religious counselors, crisis and mental health screenings, access to housing, food, and employment opportunities.
4. Inclusivity and Equity: Ensure care for everyone, including the uninsured and undocumented. Embed social determinants of health (SDH) screenings to raise awareness and connect individuals to needed resources.
5. Collaboration and Trust-building: Partner with community organizations to enhance trust and solve issues related to uninsured screenings. Engage schools and advisory councils to maximize impact.
6. Preventative Care Focus: Emphasize preventative care for chronic diseases like diabetes, nutrition education, vaping awareness, childhood diabetes screenings, and dental care.
7. Follow-up and Referrals: Plan for follow-up care post-screening, collaborate with clinics for support, and establish referral pathways for uninsured individuals.
8. Immunizations and Shots: Offer a range of vaccinations like COVID, flu, pneumonia, childhood immunizations, mammograms, and screenings for depression, anxiety, and toxic stress.

Overall, the goal is to make health fairs comprehensive, inclusive, and impactful by addressing the diverse health needs of the community, focusing on preventative care, and ensuring accessibility for all individuals.

‍Question Two

How do you envision your organization contributing to the health fair? What role do you see your organization playing in encouraging community participation in these health initiatives?

The focus of responses centered on organizational contributions to the health fair and strategies to enhance community involvement in health initiatives. Here are the highlighted points:

1. CTR Involvement: CTR aims to support the undocumented community by providing information, interpretation, and translation services during the event.
2. Aurora Public Schools (APS) Engagement: APS intends to promote the health fair among students and families, particularly in NW Aurora. They aim to present information at Parent Coffees or Parents in Action meetings, aligning the event services with community needs, especially in access to care, housing, and wellness.
3. Aurora Health Alliance Support: Aurora Health Alliance plans to promote the event among healthcare and social service providers, facilitating resource sharing during the health fair.
4. Building Trust and Collaboration: Efforts involve involving schools, health providers, and health departments to foster trust among individuals who might currently mistrust healthcare systems. The goal is to share roles and resources to encourage participation.
5. Technical Assistance from DFM at CU: The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) at CU aims to assist with technical setup and support for preventative care health education services.
6. FIT & NU Participation: FIT & NU plans to set up a wellness club targeting women of color. Their offerings include health coaching, InBody Composition scans, blood pressure checks, and introducing online habit formation tools and resources.
7. Promotional Activities: Organizations propose various activities like end-of-life care tables, primary and preventative care services, interactive activities such as body analysis machines, body bingo, and healthy habit formation challenges to encourage engagement and promote the event within their networks.

Each organization brings unique contributions, from outreach and promotion to technical support and specific health services, to make the health fair comprehensive and accessible to the community.

Question Three

Looking back at past health fairs or similar events, what reflections or experiences can you share that might help improve our upcoming health fair?

Insights from past health fairs or similar events were shared to enhance the upcoming health fair. Here's a summary:

1. Engaging County Representatives: Strengthen connections with county representatives for broader support and resources.
2. Effective Wayfinding: Implement clear wayfinding not just from parking lots but also from other key points like bus stops to guide attendees through the event.
3. Organization and Accessibility: Ensure a well-organized event with clear direction for attendees. Prioritize language and interpretation services in advance. Invite cultural navigators to foster community relationships and trust.
4. Authentic Engagement: Encourage genuine engagement between booth representatives and community members. Break down barriers between healthcare entities and the community. Emphasize preventative care and accessibility beyond the event.
5. Diverse Representation and Resources: Invite diverse resources, including police, food banks, county offices, and consulates, offering services in various languages and representing different cultures.
6. Effective Elements from Past Fairs: Acknowledge successful past elements such as engaging activities (DJ, fitness demos), incentives, easy access (parking, bus routes), and varied marketing strategies. Highlight the importance of making the event engaging rather than just tables with pamphlets.
7. Targeted Marketing and Incentives: Ensure targeted marketing to the intended audience and offer fun incentives to boost attendance.
8. Improved Engagement Models: Consider enhancing engagement models beyond the Passport model, offering time blocks for specific services or vendor sign-ups to manage information delivery efficiently.
9. Language Accessibility: Emphasize the availability of translators and materials in languages beyond Spanish.
10. Follow-Up Procedures: Stress the importance of efficient follow-up procedures post-event to ensure continuity of care and services.

The key takeaways revolve around enhancing organization, engagement, accessibility, and inclusivity in the upcoming health fair, drawing from past experiences to create a more engaging and impactful event for the community.

In closing, a heartfelt appreciation extends to all who dedicated their time and insights to the discussions at the AWC December Community Breakfast. Your valuable contributions have shaped a roadmap for an inclusive, accessible, and impactful Health Fair. It's through this collaborative effort, rooted in shared aspirations for a healthier community, that we move forward. Let's carry these reflections and commitments forward, ensuring that the upcoming Health Fair is a beacon of accessibility, engagement, and genuine care for everyone.