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The purpose (redefined by Partners 8/2002) of Healthy Communities Without Borders (HCWB) is to provide:

• an opportunity for community partners to gather and review data pertinent to the health of their community;
• data on a single website which describes the health of the Cass-Clay region;
• local analysis of information in the data base that may help in the prioritization process of community needs and goals;
• reports from multiple local initiatives, organizations, and private sector regarding local resources and activities which exist to address health needs of the community

History

In October 1996 funding was awarded to our region by the Federal Community Integrated Services System (CISS) as a project of the Maternal Child Health Bureau.

Original Project Goal

Reduce barriers for all residents of Cass and Clay Counties wanting to access health care services through networking and linkages.

Original objectives were developed related to increasing age appropriate immunizations, increasing rates of CTC and ND Health Tracks participants, reduction of abuse, neglect, and domestic violence, reduce number of children requiring medical care due to preventable injuries, increase number of women receiving prenatal care in first trimester of pregnancy, and monitoring of incidence of children under age 5 living in poverty in a female headed household.

Strategies

• Convening monthly networking meeting with leadership of existing community collaborative and initiatives
• Provide training on marketing, funding acquisition and other common concerns
• Promote electronic linkage of partners

Multiple accomplishments have occurred including funding for immunization registry development, funding MN-DAK Consortium, workshops in internet training, cultural competency training, development of software for providers and public on vaccines, purchased equipment for scanning and development of surveys to improve analysis of data, funding development and hosting of a website for HCWB.

It is the website development and evolving expectations of the HCWB partners that has become the primary focus of this project. Although federal funding ending in 2001, partners continue to fund project activities related to the website because it has proven to meet a critical need of individuals, organizations, government officials, and educational settings within the Cass and Clay County region.