Faith & Health:Faith & Health: Transforming CommunitiesTransforming Communities

Mimi KiserMimi KiserInterfaith Health ProgramInterfaith Health Program

Emory University, Atlanta, GA USAEmory University, Atlanta, GA USASeptember 2005September 2005

ObjectivesObjectives

Share with you:Share with you:• Background and mission of the Interfaith Background and mission of the Interfaith

Health Program (IHP)Health Program (IHP)• Conceptual model of determinants of health Conceptual model of determinants of health

– where is “religion” most transformative?– where is “religion” most transformative?• Two IHP “Cornerstone Programs”Two IHP “Cornerstone Programs”

– Africa Religious Health Assets ProgramAfrica Religious Health Assets Program– Institute for Public Health and Faith Institute for Public Health and Faith

CollaborationsCollaborations

Interfaith Health ProgramInterfaith Health Program

A Movement Toward Wholeness:

The Interfaith Health Program vision is for all the assets and strengths of faith and health groups to be aligned with the most relevant public health knowledge and the most mature faith.

Interfaith Health ProgramInterfaith Health Program

The Case for Faith and Health:

Our goal is justice – a word implying, shalom, peace, wholeness, virtue and well being, not only of individuals, but of communities and the social connectedness from which we each can find meaning, hope, and sustenance. (www.ihpnet.org)

8 Congregational Strengths8 Congregational Strengths

• Strength to Strength to accompanyaccompany

• Strength to Strength to conveneconvene

• Strength to connectStrength to connect

• Strength to frame, Strength to frame, storystory

• Strength to blessStrength to bless

• Strength to give Strength to give sanctuarysanctuary

• Strength to prayStrength to pray

• Strength to Strength to endureendure

Deeply Woven Roots,

Gary Gunderson

Social-Ecological ModelSocial-Ecological Model

Broad Conditions and Policies

Living and Working Conditions

Social, Family, and Community Networks

Individuals

IOM, “Understanding Population Health and Its Determinants”, In IOM, “Understanding Population Health and Its Determinants”, In 21st Century 21st Century ReportReport, 2003, 2003

African Religious Health African Religious Health Assets Assets ©©

• To understand, assess, and map the presence, To understand, assess, and map the presence, growth, and impact of Religious Health Assets, growth, and impact of Religious Health Assets, beginning in Africa, in fostering health as beginning in Africa, in fostering health as defined by the World Health Organizationdefined by the World Health Organization

• To provide interdisciplinary tools and methods To provide interdisciplinary tools and methods and an organizational framework for researchand an organizational framework for research

• To strengthen leadership and organizational To strengthen leadership and organizational capacity at all levels – from local efforts to capacity at all levels – from local efforts to transnational policymaking – through Exec. transnational policymaking – through Exec. Seminars and other educational experiencesSeminars and other educational experiences

• To provide evidence for decision-, policy-To provide evidence for decision-, policy-making, and resource allocationmaking, and resource allocation

African Religious Health African Religious Health Assets Assets ©©

Short term outcomes:Short term outcomes:• To test and deploy a “suite” of To test and deploy a “suite” of

research tools for “Asset Identification research tools for “Asset Identification and Mapping”and Mapping”

• To develop a framework and structure To develop a framework and structure for application of Religious Health for application of Religious Health Assets at the community, regional, Assets at the community, regional, and national levelsand national levels

• To address high-priority issues, To address high-priority issues, especially the HIV/AIDS pandemicespecially the HIV/AIDS pandemic

RHA MatrixRHA Matrix

– Individual phenomena Individual phenomena may cross quadrantsmay cross quadrants

– Axes are continuaAxes are continua

Theory Matrix

© ARHAP

Intangible

Tangible

Direct Indirect

Relig

ious

Health

Ass

ets

Health Outcomes

Prayer Resilience Health-seeking Behaviour Motivation Responsibility Commitment/Sense of

Duty Relationship: Caregiver &

“Patient” Advocacy/Prophetic Resistance - Physical and/

or Structural/Political

Infrastructure Hospitals - Beds, etc Clinics Dispensaries Training - Para-Medical Hospices Funding/Development

Agencies Holistic Support Hospital Chaplains Faith Healers Traditional Healers Care Groups NGO/FBO - “projects”

Manyano and otherfellowships

Choir Education Sacraments/Rituals Rites Of Passage

(Accompanying) Funerals Network/Connections Leadership Skills Presence in the “Bundu”

(on the margins) Boundaries (Normative)

Individual (Sense ofMeaning)

Belonging - Human/Divine Access to Power/Energy Trust/Distrust Faith - Hope - Love Sacred Space in a

Polluting World (AIC) Time Emplotment (Story)

Religious Health Assets

Most existing tools survey only the Tangible/Direct quadrant

NEXTNEXT

Institute for Public Health Institute for Public Health and Faith Collaborationsand Faith Collaborations

Goal:Goal:

Foster the capacity of public health Foster the capacity of public health systems and faith organizations to systems and faith organizations to improve the health and wholeness of improve the health and wholeness of their communities through: 1) joint their communities through: 1) joint leadership development; 2) leadership development; 2) implementation of systems change implementation of systems change action plans; and 3) elimination of health action plans; and 3) elimination of health disparities.disparities.

Institute for Public Health Institute for Public Health and Faith Collaborations and Faith Collaborations (cont’d)(cont’d)Accomplishments to date:Accomplishments to date:

• Created a transformative model and Created a transformative model and curriculum for interfaith leadership curriculum for interfaith leadership development and community development and community capacity buildingcapacity building

• Trained 65 teams of 303 leaders in Trained 65 teams of 303 leaders in 20 states20 states

• Linked teams in a national network of Linked teams in a national network of faith-health collaborativesfaith-health collaboratives

Calling and Accountability that drives their action towards the vision. That does not fear but cultivates the wisdom of ….

Community Transformation

A community being made whole through the aligned action of transformed people

who ask the questions of …

Eliminate Disparities/Nurture Common Hope as the disparities give way, the historical despair of our labor turns into a

shared hope that drives action and expands impact for ….

Faith & Health Alignment is a

convergence of two unique streams moving together

creating a greater outcome than either alone, in order to

…

Shared Vision of healthier

communities – a new and possible reality for all who suffer – a vision

where ….

Transformative Relationships

where the depth of involvement leads to a level of

knowing each other that changes how they see

themselves and gives birth to a new …

Boundary Leadership Those who see new

possibilities at the edges of what is currently visible.

Those people driven to find solutions for the pain in

communities. As they meet they form ….

Institute Core Values Framework