History
In September 2000 the Bureau of Primary Health Care partnered
with CCHF to begin a three-year project entitled "Best Practices
Project."
CCHF BEST PRACTICES VISION STATEMENT
CCHF's Best Practices Initiatives will further CCHF's strategic
technical assistance role by:
- Supporting its members in the pursuit of excellence in the
provision of faith-based healthcare;
- Demonstrating how Christian faith is making a measurable difference
in the provision of health care for the poor;
- Sharing this work with its constituents and the wider public;
so that ministry will be enhanced, more people will be motivated
to become involved in faith-based health care, and effective Christian
healthcare will be more clearly seen and practiced.
The purpose of the project is three-fold:
(1) To identify and document existing "Best
Practices" among the health ministries affiliated with CCHF
(2) To plan, implement, and prospectively
evaluate new/young programs
(3) To develop the infra-structure for
a faith-based practice research network that will address important
questions relevant to the CCHF affiliated ministries
A steering committee was formed and a "call for abstracts"
was made. We received over twenty abstracts from more than a dozen
health centers. Eight abstracts met the initial criteria for full
documentation as a Best Practice while the others were considered
to be good candidates for later AIM ONE and/or AIM TWO participation
and/or for publication in the CCHF journal, Health and Development.
Steering Committee
The Best Practices Steering Committee consists of:
Dave Brewton, Dir. of Development, East Liberty Family Health
Care Center, Pittsburgh
Mary Chase-Ziolek, Faculty in Health Ministries, North Park Theological
Seminary, Chicago
Farr Curlin, MD, Robert Woods Johnson Fellow, University of Chicago
Bruce Miller, MHA, COO, Lawndale Christian Health Center, Chicago
Doug Smucker, MD, MPH, Family Physician, University of Cincinnati
and Crossroads Health Center, Cincinnati
Jerry Stromberg PhD, Executive Director, CCHF, Chicago
Participants from over 20 CCHF-related ministries have been involved
in "Best Practices" meetings and conference calls to
date.
Missions Go Hand in Hand
The BPHC is very concerned about increasing access to care for
the medically underserved and decreasing health disparities evident
among minorities and the economically disadvantaged. The mission
of CCHF is to equip our members to live out the Gospel by providing
healthcare among the poor.
Resources For CCHF Members
and Related Organizations
Since these two missions go hand in hand, CCHF finds the "Best
Practices Project" an exciting opportunity to provide our
members with more resources, such as:
- Documentation of successful models and
programs
- Technical assistance to incorporate prospective
evaluation methods into well-designed programs
- Opportunities for students and affiliated
health centers to participate in a faith practice-based research
network
CCHF/Best
Practice & Wheaton Completes Mental Health Research Project
