MPH Foundational Competencies, Goals, and Objectives
MPH Foundational Competency #1
The first competency is to design a population-based policy, program, or intervention (Planning and Management to Promote Health, #9).
To address this competency, the Framework and Strategic Plan for Stakeholder Suicide Postvention Communication Plan will be designed for stakeholders and leaders in Mesa County, Grand Junction, Colorado with the purpose of promoting healing and restored health in suicide loss survivors in the community. The design of the framework and communication plan will meet the goal of planning and management to promote health for the target suicide loss survivor population.
Goal #1: To develop skills and gain experience in program planning through the development
of a suicide postvention stakeholder communication plan framework.
Objectives: By the end of the internship experience, I will have:
- 1a: Created a program plan that includes an overall description of the framework for the stakeholder communication plan
for suicide postvention in Grand Junction/Mesa Count, program goals and objectives, and create a timeline for
implementation.
- 1b: Created a guide for stakeholders to follow for successful implementation of suicide postvention in their organization.
MPH Foundational Competency #2
The second competency compares the organization, structure and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings (Public Health & Health Care Systems, #5). To address this competency, I will compare the organization, structure, and function of suicide postvention across national and international settings. It will be beneficial to compare the suicide postvention services that are available and accessible to families nationally and internationally to the services available and accessible to the Grand Junction/Mesa County suicide survivors. The comparison will provide insight on how to apply organization, structure, and function differences in other communities to strengthen the Grand Junction community.
Goal #2: To develop skills and experience in comparing the similarities and differences of national and international suicide postvention
programs with /Grand Junction/Mesa County for the purpose of awareness and application.
Objectives: By the end of the internship experience, I will have:
- 2a: Compared the purpose and programs of three national or international suicide
postvention programs.
- 2b: Compared Western Slope suicide postvention directly with two other similar
programs and communities.
MPH Foundational Competency #3
The third competency is to assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health (Planning & Management to Promote Health, #7). To address this competency, I will perform an assessment of suicide postvention population needs, assets, and capacities that are affecting Mesa County community’s stakeholders, gatekeepers, and suicide survivors. The Mesa County Community Impact Assessment and other community data provides a launching point for assessing the primary population needs. In taking the time to get to know the community and examining data, assets and capacities can be assessed and prioritized as the primary strengths to capitalize on.
Goal #3: To develop skills and gain experience in assessing population needs, assets, and
capacity data that provides insight into the suicide survivor mental health needs of the
community.
Objectives: By the end of the internship experience, I will have:
- 3a: Assessed the primary three communication plan needs and capacities of
Mesa County.
- 3b: Assessed the primary three needs and capacities for suicide grief counseling
and support groups in Mesa County.
Community Health Competencies, Goals, and Objectives
Community Health Concentration Competency #1
The first community health competency is to describe factors that influence the process by which people learn (Area I, Competency 1.5).
To address this competency, I will describe factors that influence the process by which children, youth, and adults going through suicide grief learn with the purpose of designing an optimal support program and intervention. I will be able to describe how factors such as physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, cultural, and even political factors affect the learning process. I will be able to describe what factors are observed as the most influential in the learning process of the suicide survivor in Grand Junction/Mesa County community.
Goal #1: To develop skills and gain experience in describing the factors that influence the
process by which suicide survivors learn to facilitate mental health education and
awareness.
Objectives: By the end of this internship experience, I will have:
- 1a: Described the five key factors that influence suicide survivor learning about mental health and healing for children aged 4-8.
- 1b: Described the five key factors that influence suicide survivor learning about mental health and healing for children aged 10-18.
Community Health Concentration Competency #2
The second community health competency is to integrate methods for involving priority populations, partners, and other stakeholders into the planning process (Area II, Competency 2.1). To address this competency, I will learn how to integrate methods for involving the stakeholder and gatekeeper community – priority populations, partners, and other stakeholders into the planning process for suicide postvention programs and interventions in Mesa County. Starting with compiling breakout group data, conducting interviews using phone and video, information can be gathered to involve current and discovered stakeholders. Interviews and focus groups with priority populations, partners, and stakeholders will be held to engage in discussion on the suicide postvention needs of the Mesa County suicide survivors. A committee, a coalition of these stakeholders, can be formed to further integrate various methods of involvement.
Goal #2: To create and implement methods to involve priority populations, partners, and stakeholders in Mesa County in developing the
suicide postvention community plan.
Objectives: By the end of this internship experience, I will have:
- 2a: Created and implemented a focus group with priority populations for
planning the communication plan.
- 2b: Created and implemented a focus group with the priority counselors and
community workers for planning counseling and support group programs.
-2c: Created and implemented a coalition for suicide grief counselors and
community workers in Grand Junction.