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Community-Based Interventions
Community based, sometimes also called environmental, interventions are types of programs or initiatives meant to improve the lives and well-being of specific groups within a defined area (community). An intervention is a change in thought, emotion, behavior, rule, or policy that leads to an intended outcome. They can be focused on the systems that impact the community (e.g., educational, judicial, political) or focused on an individual level (e.g., counseling, education, providing financial resources). According to the mission of the American Counseling Association, it is part of the role of a counselor to promote respect for people regardless of their identities and background. Their strategic plan includes valuing differences, creating community relationships, and advocating for high-quality mental healthcare for all people. Well-designed community-based interventions advocate for individual and group rights, respect the input of the community, and make effective change. This entry examines effective community interventions.
Understanding Community-Based Interventions
Communities are groupings of individuals in which exist shared commonalities—identity, geography, history, interests, or other commonalities. Community interventions usually refer to the setting in which those interventions take place. The setting may be a school, neighborhood, church, or other local group or organization. Community interventions are typically focused on a defined geographic area targeting a specific group. The goals of these interventions are to prevent harm and/or promote well-being. Focusing on a particular community allows for better assessment of needs and allows for community members, government agencies, and other organizations to work together to address complex problems with solutions grounded in local need. Community-based interventions have been found to be useful in addressing many areas of health, including those of mental health, reducing crime and violence, and promoting financial wellness. Community-based interventions have also been shown to increase the effectiveness and longevity of identified outcomes.
The level and types of interventions can be varied. Levels include individuals, families, social networks, organizations, and public policy. The community may be engaged through individual outreach (e.g., handing out fliers, presentations, email), tapping advisory groups or community coalitions, or widescale media campaigns. Interventions can focus on changing individual behavior that increases the wellness of the target population as an aggregate of individual change; they can focus on the community as a whole (e.g., change in policy, services, and institutions), utilizing the community as a resource to motivate change, or creating more respect and support for resources in a community that already exist. Regardless of the level and types of interventions utilized, it is important to have “insider knowledge” of what the community needs and wants and how to engage the community in a way that respects its culture and rights.
Community Interventions Regarding Access to Care
Access to health and behavioral health care is often limited for underserved communities. Ethnic and racial minority groups and those with low socioeconomic status face obstacles in accessing physical and mental healthcare. Some of these groups are most at risk of health and mental health problems, because of multiple stressors, and yet might have the least accessibility to quality care. Poor access to care increases chronic conditions resulting from these stressors. Reducing disparities allows the general population to reduce the worsening of conditions, diagnose unknown conditions, and engage in preventive measures. Ultimate goals are to improve the health of a person, of communities, and of systems.
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