Chapter 2: Organizations That Shape Public Health

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

- gets 25% of federal budget - largest federal government department

Operating Agencies of the DHHS

1) Administration on Aging (AoA) 2) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) 3) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 4) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 5) CDC 6) FDA 7) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 8) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 9) Indian Health Services (IHS) 10) NIH 11) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA)

Examples of Quasi-governmental health organizations

1) American Red Cross 2) National Academy of Sciences 3) National Science Foundation

Organization of voluntary health agencies

1) National level focused on research 2) State level focused on linking national with local offices 3) Local carry out the programming

Core Functions of Public Health

1) System Management - Research 2) Assessment - Monitor health - Diagnose and investigate 3) Policy Development - Inform, educate, empower - Mobilize community partnerships - Develop policies 4) Assurance - Enforce laws - Link to/provide care - Assure competent workforce - Evaluate

Challenges to WHO goals

1) food security 2) gender equality 3) maternal health 4) rural development 5) infrastructure and environmental sustainability 6) responses to climate change

Hindered characteristics

1) highly developed and centralized resources in national institutions and organizations 2) continuing concentration of wealth and population in the largest metro areas 3) rapid movement of info and transportation technologies that eliminate need for local offices 4) globalization of health 5) limited horizontal organization relationships 6) top-down funding

Barriers of School Health Programs

1) insufficient local ad commitment 2) inadequately prepared teachers 3) too few school days to teach health 4) inadequate funding 5) lack of credibility of health education 6) insuffiecient parental/community support 7) concern for the teaching of controversial topics

Four government levels

1) international 2) national 3) state 4) local

Purpose of voluntary health agencies

1) raise money to fund programs and/or research 2) provide education to professionals and the public 3) provide services to those afflicted 4) advocacy

ACS public education program

1) take necessary steps to prevent cancer 2) know the warning signals 3) understand value of regular checkups 4) cope with cancer

National Health Agencies

A nation's department or agency within its government responsible for protection of health and welfare of its citizens - Examples: HHS, Dept. of Agriculture, EPA, OSHA, DHS

Corporate involvement in community health

Biggest role = provision of health care benefits Also have worksite health promotion programs to lower their costs and reduce absenteeism

Nongovernmental health agencies

Health organizations funded by private donations or membership dues - operate w/o government interference - meet IRS guidelines w/ tax status - can be voluntary, professional, religious, social, corporate, etc.

American Red Cross

Official duties are to provide relief in natural disasters and serve as a liasion b/w armed forces and their families during emergencies Nongovernment duties: - blood drives - safety services - community volunteer services - international services

Professional Health Organizations

Organizations made up of health professionals who have completed specialized training and have met standards of registration/certification or licensure for their fields Goal: to promote high standards of professional practice Funded by dues Examples: AMA, APHA, ACS

Purpose of WHO

Primary objective is attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health - 22 core functions - financed by member nations - eradicated smallpox - guided by 11th General Programme of Work and UN's Milennium Declaration

Coordinated School Health Programs

Programs that are funded by tax dollars that focus on children

State Health Agencies

Specific health department of each state that promotes, protects, and maintains the health/welfare of its citizens - headed by medical director appointed by governor - organized into divisions or bureaus

Philanthropic foundation

an endowed institutions that donates money for the good of humankind - fund programs and research on prevention, control and treatment of diseases Examples: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation No fundraising

World Health Assembly

delegates of the member nations of the WHO - approve the WHO program and budget for following biennium - decide major policy questions

Local Health Departments

governmental health organizations that are the responsibility of the city or county governments - 63% rural, 37% city (~2500 total)

Governmental health agencies

health agencies that are part of the governmental structure (federal, state, or local) and that are funded by tax dollars

Top-down funding

method of funding in which funds are transmitted from federal or state government to the local level

World Health Organization (WHO)

most widely recognized international governmental health organization - headquartered in Geneva - founded in 1946 - six regional offices around the world - largest health-related international organization - 193 member countries - major reason why smallpox is eradicated

Voluntary health agencies

nonprofit organizations created by concerned citizens to deal with a health need not met by governmental health agencies - combo of paid staff and volunteers Examples: Alzheimer's Association, March of Dimes,

Quasi-governmental health organizations

organizations that have some official health responsibilities but operate like voluntary health organizations

Service, social, and religious organizations

organizations that play a part in public health even if not the primary goal Examples: Kiwanis Club, Rotary, Elks, Lions, American Legion What they do: - volunteer in health-related activities - donate space - influence families - sponsor food banks or shelters

American Cancer Society

voluntary health organization founded in 1913 by 10 doctors to eliminate cancer Mission: short-term --> education, advocacy, and service long-term --> eradicate cancer via research Focuses on public health and the professionals who work in oncology

Organizations of Local Health Departments

- Board - Health comissioner or health officer looks over: 1) Environmental health 2) Health education 3) Nursing 4) Vital stats 5) Chronic dz 6) Communicable dzs