Communities & Health Professionals Together
Communities & Health Professionals Together (CHPT) is a unique partnership between two UC Davis Residency Programs - Family Medicine and Pediatrics - and seven grassroots, community based organizations, that draws upon the assets of communities and physicians-in-training to improve health and support communities in making positive changes. Employing the principles of Asset-Based Community Development, CHPT teaches resident physicians how to identify community assets and resources, build partnerships with community organizations, and leverage these partnerships to enhance the capacity of the community to improve local health.
Communities & Health Professionals Together (CHPT) strives to give every individual a healthy present and future by teaching physicians, both in training and in practice, how to make a difference through active community partnerships."
In order to achieve this, the partners set forth four project-wide goals:
- Form strong and reciprocal relationships between resident physicians and their partner communities;
- Increase involvement of community physicians in partner communities and in CHPT;
- Create and present formal curricula and education opportunities to residents, faculty and the community
Using a three-pronged approach to teaching resident physicians about community and community health ensures that there is something for everyone. Residents learn through hands-on, interactive meetings, events and experiences right in their assigned communities; they are supplied reading materials and reflection tools to gain insights and knowledge about their experiences; and they are provided with didactic education where community members and respected professionals speak together about topics from Asset-Based Community Development to informing parents on how to choose quality childcare.
Finally, Residents work with their community partners to identify a health issue of interest; and use local community assets to plan, implement and evaluate a project that addresses the issue.
Community Partners
River Oak Family Resource Center: Located in Oak Park, River Oak Family Resource Center provides FREE parenting education, resources, child development information, and family-centered activities to the families of children 0-5 in Oak Park and surrounding communities. Families participate in voluntary services like home visitation, parenting classes, stress-reduction activities, exercise groups, arts and crafts, and other fun activities. The FRC also provides school readiness staff and activities and has dedicated staff to assist families in times of crises with resource referrals and follow-up services. Program Manager, Bruce Kuban, is the CHPT Faculty.
Rancho Cordova Children, Youth Families Collaborative: The Cordova Community Collaborative is a group in the Rancho Cordova community of eastern Sacramento County. CCC believes "all children should grow up in a family and community that provides for their health and well-being. We are committed to strengthening families and linking them to community resources that enhance self-reliance and promote community involvement." Folsom Cordova Unified School District's Family Support Services Director, Linda Burkholder, is CCC's CHPT Faculty.
River Delta Healthy Start: River Delta Healthy Start serves the Delta community of Walnut Grove located in rural Sacramento county along the Sacramento River. We offer services and support to families by providing community resources, services and assistance to families as well as providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services and supports and interventions to high-risk, underperforming students to achieve success in school, at home and in the community. Healthy Start Coordinator Claudia Gibson is the CHPT Faculty.
Delta Sports Physicals (2013 - present)
Residents: Annalyse Feldman, Kelly Griffin, & Adam Cheng
Community Partner: River Delta Healthy Start
Synopsis: In order to participate in athletic programs many schools require that athletes obtain a physical each year. 
What do you do when the community you live in has very limited healthcare resources for you to get this physical? This is the barrier facing many high school student athletes in the Sacramento Delta region of Northern California. During their intern year, three Family Medicine residents decided to tackle this challenge (no pun intended!) and are working with the community to bring physicals to the local high school in 2014. With a school physical program already well-established at a high school located near the UCD Medical Center in place these residents have a framework for establishing a school physicals program in the Delta region. By working with the community during the planning and implementation of this project, this group of FM residents is helping to ensure the sustainability of this project in the future.
Delta FQHC Project (2013 - present)
Residents: Celeste Reinking, Rebecca Cantone, & Justin Altschuler
Community Partner: River Delta Healthy Start
Synopsis: The Sacramento Delta region is well known for its strong roots in agricultural and its quaint 
towns that stretch along the river for miles. It’s these qualities that also limit the healthcare resources available to those who live and work in the region. After meeting with several organizations and community members the message was clear: “we need healthcare in our community”. With that, three family medicine residents are working towards bringing healthcare services to the Delta region through collaborative efforts with neighboring towns. This project embodies the mission of CHPT by doing with and not for the community. It has ABCD at is core by focusing on assets and by collaborating with service providers in neighboring cities to make it happen – everything from location, design, supplies, staffing, and patient outreach. This group of residents is laying the groundwork for this project with first and second year residents already sharing their interest in moving this project forward.
Concussion/Dehydration/Heat Stroke Education (2013 - present)
Resident: Paul Dagenais
Community Partner: Sacramento High School
Synopsis: High school football has returned to the Sacramento area and with that comes the ever 
present concerns of players’ safety surrounding the topics of concussion, dehydration, and heat stroke. Fueled by his passion for sports and enthusiasm for working with high school athletes, Dr. Paul Dagenais (Dr. “D” for short), met with a group of football players on a local high school varsity team to talk about these very serious topics as part of his CHPT project. Dr. Dagenais had a few goals in mind including increasing awareness of what a concussion is, signs and symptoms to look for, when to see a physician, and the process of returning to activities after a concussion. Most importantly, he wanted to ensure that players wouldn’t hide concussion symptoms from coaching staff and/or medical personnel so as not to lead to long term illness such as chronic depression or chronic traumatic brain injury. Dr. D shared that he had fun and was impressed by the students’ questions and eagerness to participate. He hopes to bring this kind of interactive presentation to other area high schools as concussions are such a hot topic in the media right now. He feels that “it’s important that these athletes have the right information and are able to understand the risk of serious injury and potential long term implications”. Dr. Dagenais will continue to support this particular team from the sidelines during their season.
Dean’s Team Award for Excellence (2013)
The Communities and Health Professionals Together collaborative team received this award for outstanding multi-disciplinary team contributions in the mission area of community engagement. Recipients of this award have demonstrated a collaborative and collegial approach to support the mission of the UC Davis Health System in being a destination of choice to all those served. The CHPT program works to enhance the quality of life of its local and regional communities by working with community partners to create sustainable and meaningful partnerships.
Campus Compact Thomas Ehrlich Award for Service-Learning (2008)
Campus Compact is an organization of over 1,000 college and university presidents committed to fulfilling the public purposes of higher education by promoting service learning. Each year they choose to honor one faculty member's efforts to include service learning in their curriculum, and in 2008 they selected their first-ever medical training program - Communities & Health Professionals Together and Dr. Richard Pan - as the recipient of this prestigious award, the Thomas Ehrlich Award for Service Learning!
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Annual Award (2005)
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) is a nonprofit organization that promotes health (broadly defined) through partnerships between communities and higher educational institutions. Founded in 1996, CCPH is a growing network of over 1,800 communities and campuses across North America and increasingly the world that are collaborating to promote health through service-learning, community-based participatory research, broad-based coalitions and other partnership strategies.
Community & Health Professionals Together is a proud recipient of the 2005 CCPH National Award. This prestigious award honored the sincere and reciprocal partnerships developed and maintained between the UC Davis Health System and community partners in Sacramento and Yuba counties. For more information on the award, visit the CCPH website.
Dog Bite Prevention (2013)
Residents: Vona Britz-Diener & Patricia To
Community Partner: Various
Synopsis: Dogs and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly. Well, most of the time they’re a perfect pair but, 
just like a PB&J gone awry, the interaction between dog and human can go sour with the potential for a very negative outcome. The idea to provide dog bite prevention education came to these two Family Medicine residents when they realized how many young children come into the UCD Emergency Department with dog bites. For Britz-Diener and To, many of these visits to the ED can be prevented with some education on proper dog etiquette. In partnership with the UCD Veterinary School’s Behavioral Medicine Club, Britz-Diener and To are creating a curriculum to share with local kids that centers on providing tips on when and how to approach a dog, dog communication, and what to do when things go wrong. Want to bring this interactive workshop to your school, neighborhood, or organization? Click here to send us a message.
"How- To?" Doctor's Visits (2013)
Resident: Apama Vemuri
Community Partner: River Oak Family Resource Center
Synopsis: Do you ever leave the doctor's office feeling more confused than when you came in? Do you 
ever feel unsure of what questions to ask your doctor? During her CHPT experience, Dr. Aparna Vemuri realized that there are a lot people who feel this way about going to the doctor so she decided to set up some informal talks with the community to give them some tips on how to make the most out of their next doctor's visit. These talks provide participants the opportunity to sit down with a doctor to ask questions and get feedback in a comfortable and "safe" environment. Following her first talk, Dr. Vemuri shared: "This is exactly why I went into family medicine. I like interacting with the community especially in a setting like this". She hopes to schedule many more in the future!
Summer Aquatics Camp (2011- present)
Resident: Adrian Tabares
Community Partner: Rancho Cordova Police Activities League
Synopsis: Created in 2011 by two Family and Community Medicine residents, the Summer Aquatics Camp is provided in partnership with the Rancho Cordova Police Activities League, Folsom Cordova Community Partnership, 
and the Sacramento State Aquatic Center. This 5 day program – offered free of charge – provides the opportunity for 20 at-risk 8th and 9th graders to learn about water safety, participate in leadership and teamwork experiences, and the chance to have fun and build self-esteem with peers! After the camp, participants will be “Water Safety Ambassadors” and will share their knowledge with their peers providing opportunities for ongoing leadership and mentorship for at-risk youth and benefitting the whole community. Water safety is an important topic for the Sacramento region and this unique program demonstrates that sustainable cooperation between multiple agencies and the community is possible.
Yuba Double Mentorship Program
Trainees: Randi Sokol, Naoya Tsuda, Jessica Porter, Kristin Satow (Family & Community Medicine Residents)
CHPT Site: Harmony Health Family Resource Center
Synopsis: "Working with the amazing faculty and staff at Lindhurst High School and Yuba Gardens Intermediat School, we have created a ‘double mentorship program’ in which Family Practice Residents teach and mentor high school students who then teach and mentor middle school students on various health topics. We hope that this relationship building will foster a sense of morale and leadership among high school students and motivate them to aspire towards a brighter, goal-oriented future. At the same time, they will have a positive influence on middle school students who will also benefit from a free, structured health curriculum."
I Am Going to College!
Trainee: Kelvin Vu (Family & Community Medicine Resident)
CHPT Site: Rancho Cordova Children, Youth & Families Collaborative
Synopsis: Resident Kelvin Vu, working with Cordova High School (CHS) Head Counselor Cindy Evans, started the "I Am Going to College" program in 2010 with 60 CHS 9th and 10th grade students. This year, Kelvin and his fellow residents are working to provide college-prep mentoring to 105 Cordova High School students (9th, 10th and 11th grade)! Students were introduced to the program on December 1st and will meet with their mentors in February and March, ending the year with a field trip to UC Davis in April! The goal is for all of these students to be eligible for application to a college/university of their choice.
Kids' Zone at Celebrate Oak Park! event (2009)
Residents: Amanjit Sekhon & Phuc Tran
Community Partner: Oak Park Neighborhood Association
Synopsis: "For our CHPT project we reorganized the Kids' Zone area of the annual "Celebrate Oak Park" community event to include physical activity, nutrition and safety learning stations in order to reach out to all Oak Park residents, particularly children and their families. We utilized a passport program that required each child to visit several activity stations and then at the completion of their passports the children received participation certificates and healthy snacks. The physical activity stations included jumping rope, shooting baskets, jumping jacks, pushups, sit-ups, hula hooping, and dancing, as well as a traditional Velcro wall, Sponge Bob jump house, 3-in-1 bounce house and rock climbing wall, which have been successful activities at past "Celebrate Oak Park" events. An important component of the Kids' Zone also included helmet safety education; we were able to distribute free helmets to children who needed them thanks to a generous donation from the UC Davis Trauma Prevention Program. We also had nutrition stations where we discussed the food pyramid, healthy eating, guidelines for physical activity and more."