First Turning Point Forum Begins Dialogue of Change

By Natalie Burke and Michael Rhein, MPA

The inaugural national Turning Point Forum was held in San Francisco, California, March 11 - 14, 1998. The meeting was an opportunity for over 250 representatives from the state and local grantee partnerships to trade insights and experiences regarding their shared  challenge of redeveloping the public health system in their respective states and communities. Guests from the nearby Oakland community - participants in the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Community-Based Public Health Initiative - and national public health experts and program staff were on hand as well to help propel partnerships forward.

During one facet of the meeting, participants explored, in small groups, strategies for building a stronger public health system. The dialogue in those sessions produced the following thoughts from local and state partners:

Recommendations on How to Facilitate Public Health System Change

  • Communities must believe they have ownership of the change process.

  • Harness the media and other public education opportunities to build a public  understanding of the role and value of a public health system.

  • Build trust. Trust is needed to begin the process of real collaboration, and adds sustainability to coalition work. Trust develops between individuals first.

  • Be flexible to accommodate future change. Recognize that strategic planning  is an ever-changing process.

  • Avoid preconceived notions of which groups and individuals should be partners in the planning process.

  • Move beyond "turfism" through inspired leadership that is committed to public health.

  • Encourage meaningful involvement from the business community and other non-traditional partners by emphasizing the economic benefits of prevention.

  • Avoid jargon and use language that is inclusive.

  • Identify opportunities to realign state and local systems.

    • The March Forum was one opportunity for participants to engage in meaningful  dialogue and exchange of information relevant to successful partnerships in public health. Many of these discussions are continuing beyond the first Forum, and will likely influence the public health system of the future. The next Forum, to be held in October, will be an opportunity for this exchange to continue. The evaluations and feedback from the March Forum will be used to focus future dialogue on those issues viewed as most important to the successful redevelopment of public health systems.