Making Mutual Aid Happen:A Leadership & Advocacy Training

Kerry Dunnell, MSW Local Government LiaisonMary E. Clark, JD, MPH, Regional Preparedness Manager

Cambridge Public Health DepartmentAdvanced Practice Center for Emergency Preparedness

Agenda for the Day

o Introductions

o What is the public health mutual aid agreement?

o Why leadership and advocacy training?

o The Training

o Tools

Who is the CPHD APC?

o Host agency for Massachusetts public health Region 4b (27 communities surrounding Boston)

o Public health emergency planning for City of Cambridge, MA

o Emergency planning & training for the Cambridge Health Alliance

Public Health Mutual AidWHY?

o Limited local staffing & resources

o Hepatitis A in food handler

o CDC Deliverable

Public Health Mutual AidWorking Group

o APC staff

o Attorneys with municipal and health board expertise

o MDPH Attorney

o MDPH Center for Emergency Preparedness staff

Leadership & AdvocacyWHY?

o Need for tools to accomplish implementation of mutual aid agreement

o Need for training that acknowledges challenges of work system

Leadership & AdvocacyWorking Group

o Training developed with Local Public Health Institute

o Piloted with local staff in R4bo Peer reviewed by MDPH health educators and

APC trade show groupo Further review by MDPH rural health educators

The Training

Leadership & Advocacy

Let no man imagine he has no influence. Whoever he may be, and wherever he may be placed, the man who thinks becomes a light and a power.

-Henry George

Workshop Goals

o To empower one another and reinforce leadership and advocacy skills

o To draw on personal and professional experiences to address the obstacles you face in your work

Workshop objectives

Collectively, we will be able to describe:The definition and characteristics of effective

leadershipThe steps to effective advocacy The key aspects of the Mutual Aid AgreementA process to obtain approval of the

agreement

What is leadership?

“Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential.”

Warren Bennis, Chairman of the Leadership Institute, Marshall Business School,

University of Southern California

Qualities of effective leaders

o Creativity in action

o Vision with the courage and fortitude to put the vision into reality

o Flexibility with a commitment to change things for the better

o Ability to back off when someone else is the better lead

Qualities of effective leaders

o Ability to work within the context of the organization without letting the organization defeat us

o Commitment to the community and the values for which it stands

Dr. Louis Rowitz, Director of the Mid America Regional Public Health Leadership Institute

Discussion

o Is your definition of leadership in local public health similar to or different from the previous definition?

o How would you describe the qualities of an effective leader?

Case example:Changing the smoking ordinance

o What obstacles did the Health Director face?

o What options are available to her now?

o What might she do differently if she had the opportunity to do it all over again?

o Would options be different under a different government structure?

What is advocacy?

“The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support.”

The American Heritage

Dictionary

Discussion

o How is the definition of public health advocacy similar to or different from the previous definitions?

o How would you describe the steps to successful advocacy?

Steps to successful advocacy

o Be able to clearly articulate the outcome you want

o Know your stakeholders – allies and opponents

o Craft an effective messageo Practice and improve your ASKo Follow up

Advocacy Tools

o Coalitions

o Fundraisingo Datao Messageso Presentationso Evaluation

Small group activity

o As a group, choose one current issue that requires leadership and advocacy

o Work together to identify the stakeholders and describe the obstacles

o Brainstorm actions to address the obstacleso Be prepared to report back to the whole

group

Leadership & Advocacy Challenge

Public Health Mutual Aid

Public Health Mutual AidQuestions

o What is public health mutual aid intended for?

o Who is in charge?

o Is giving aid required?

o How does it work?

o How do we make this happen?

Public Health Mutual Aid Agreement

An intermunicipal agreement that allows communities to support each other, IF their resources are stretched beyond normal capacity.  The agreement addresses the scope of work, issues of employment and liability, and provides guidelines for requesting and providing mutual aid. 

  

Public Health Mutual AidDefinition

o Aid to another public health agency o Personnel, equipment, facilities, services,

supplies, or other resources o Includes inspections, vaccination clinics,

emergency dispensing sites, administrative assistance, etc….

  

Public Health Mutual AidScope & Limitations

 

o Scope - mutual aid for “incidents” not just emergencies

 o Limitations - communities are not required to

provide aid  

Public Health Mutual AidEmployment & Liability

o Employment- Employees sent for mutual aid remain employees of their community

o Employees report to the Incident Commander in the receiving community

o Liability- Liability for employees retained by home community

Public Health Mutual AidKey Concepts

o Public Health = first responders

o Response is local

o Mutual Aid = one agreement

o “Mutual Aid allows us to expand our resources without expanding our budget” Canton, MA Board of Health

How do we make this happen?

o Do you know the process for adoption of such an agreement within your community?

o Who in your community do you need to involve for this project to be successful?

o What concerns/questions do you anticipate?o What potential obstacles can you identify?o How will you address these barriers?

Training Materials

o Presentation and trainer notes

o Handouts

o Public Health Mutual Aid kito Evaluation forms

Questions? Comments?

Kerry C. DunnellLocal Government Liaison

kdunnell@challiance.org617-665-3859

Mary E. ClarkRegional Preparedness

Manager mclark@challiance.org617-665-3688