Community Resources Paper
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an ideal non-profit organization that plays a significant role in promoting public health and addressing healthcare challenges facing populations. The CDC has been operational since its inception in 1946 and has enabled the US government to implement population-centered interventions for safeguarding and protecting Americans from health and safety threats. The major roles of the CDC include tackling health issues that result in deaths and disabilities, incorporating science and technology in disease prevention interventions, promoting healthy behaviors, detecting and responding to emerging health threats, and developing the health workforce’s leadership competencies (CDC, 2022). These roles are consistent with the organization’s mission, vision, and pledges to all Americans.
Organizational Mission, Vision, and Contribution to Public Health and Safety Improvement
The CDC’s mission is “to protect America from health, safety, and security threats, both foreign and in the US.” This mission is consistent with the long-term vision of equitably protecting health, safety, and security (CDC, 2022). The organizational mission and vision statement reflect CDC’s determination to promote public health and ensure safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2021a), the organization draws upon its superior scientific and technical expertise, research, and innovation to address new threats. Other institutional strengths that enable CDC to achieve its mission and vision include data analytics to drive impact, partnerships with national and local organizations, a well-trained workforce, the capacity to build public health infrastructure, and resource stewardship.
The Organization’s Ability to Promote Equal Opportunity and Improve the Quality of Life in the Community
The aspects of health equity and social justice dominate the CDC’s core values, objectives, and mandate. According to Kleinman et al. (2021), health equity entails the “attainment of the highest level of health for all people” (p. 251). In this sense, ensuring health equity involves promoting fairness and justice in access to opportunities and addressing poor social determinants of health that contribute to health disparities and inequalities. Healthy People 2030 (n.d) defines social determinants of health as “the conditions in the environment where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.” Examples of poor SDOH include limited access to quality care, low income, infrastructural constraints, and low-level education attainment. In response to conditions that contribute to health inequalities and disparities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implements various programs, including Choose Safe Place for Early Care and Education (CSPECE), Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (GHWIC), the National Program to Eliminate Diabetes-Related Disparities in Vulnerable Populations, and Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences: Data to Action (PACE: D2A).
The Effects of Funding Sources, Policy, and Legislation on the Organization’s Provision of Services
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receives funding from the federal government and private entities, including the philanthropic community and foundations. Often, the organization is vulnerable to fluctuations in annual funding, considering changes in the national economic and political environments (Fischer et al., 2017). These changes affect CDC’s operations by reducing its capacity to detect and respond to emerging health threats like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Also, fluctuated funding affects the organization’s ability to implement health promotion programs and advanced research activities.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 is a landmark policy whose provisions influence CDC’s operations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2021b), ACA established the Prevention and Public Health Funding (PPHF), a national mandatory funding stream aimed to improve the country’s public health system. Further, the prevention funds sustain the national investment in preventive care. Chait & Glied (2018) contend that the PPHF enables the CDC to implement targeted and population-oriented national initiatives, including smoking cessation and national diabetes prevention programs. Therefore, ACA enhanced the CDC’s operational capacity.
How CDC’s Work Impacts the Health and Safety Needs of a Local Community
Undoubtedly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s operations impact the health and safety need of local communities, especially underserved populations. In this sense, the CDC focuses on improving various social determinants of health (SDOH), including housing, transportation, and education. Also, it emphasizes partnerships with communities and community-based organizations (CDC, 2021a). Finally, the CDC implements programs to improve SDOH, including educating community members, conducting research through health impact assessments, interventions for preventing childhood lead poisoning and emphasizing preventive care. These interventions improve communities’ social, cultural, economic, and environmental determinants of health.
How Nurses can Participate in CDC’s Operations
Nurses can support the CDC’s mission of protecting America from Health, safety, and security threats by providing evidence-based and patient-centered care alongside advocating for vulnerable communities. According to Williams et al. (2018), nurses’ advocacy role is essential in advancing public health and health equity. They educate patients and the community about SDOH, establish connections and partnerships with stakeholders to address community needs, contribute to data collection for community-based organizations, and influence health policies. Finally, nurses play a significant role in implementing community-based interventions targeting vulnerable populations like children, adolescents, pregnant girls and women, and older adults.
Conclusion
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a government agency that operates under the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to protect America from health, safety, and security threats. The organization detects and responds to emerging health threats, incorporates advanced technologies and research into preventive care interventions, and promotes healthy behaviors. Further, the CDC implements population-oriented programs and initiatives that improve the health and safety of local communities across the country.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021a). CDC global health strategy. https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/strategy/default.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021b). Prevention and public health fund. https://www.cdc.gov/funding/pphf/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Mission, role, and pledge. https://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/mission.htm
Chait, N., & Glied, S. (2018). Promoting prevention under the Affordable Care Act. Annual Review of Public Health, 39(1), 507–524. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-013534
Fischer, L. S., Santibanez, S., Jones, G., Anderson, B., & Merlin, T. (2017). How is CDC funded to respond to public health emergencies? Federal appropriations and budget execution process for non–financial experts. Health Security, 15(3), 307–311. https://doi.org/10.1089/hs.2017.0009
Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Social determinants of health. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health
Kleinman, D. V., Pronk, N., Gómez, C. A., Wrenn Gordon, G. L., Ochiai, E., Blakey, C., Johnson, A., & Brewer, K. H. (2021). Addressing Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health Through Healthy People 2030. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, Publish Ahead of Print. https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000001297
Williams, S., Phillips, J., & Koyama, K. (2018). Nurse Advocacy: Adopting health in all policies approach. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol23no03man01
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Research a selected local, national, or global nonprofit organization or government agency to determine how it contributes to public health and safety improvements, promotes equal opportunity, and improves the quality of life within the community. Submit your findings in a 3-5 page report.
As you begin to prepare this assessment, it would be an excellent choice to complete the Nonprofit Organizations and Community Health activity. Complete this activity to gain insight into promoting equal opportunity and improving the quality of life in a community. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment.
Introduction
Many organizations work to better local and global communities\’ quality of life and promote health and safety in times of crisis. As public health and safety advocates, nurses must be cognizant of how such organizations help certain populations. As change agents, nurses must be aware of factors that impact the organization and the services that it offers. Familiarity with these organizations enables the nurse to offer assistance as a volunteer and source of referral.
This assessment provides an opportunity for you gain insight into the mission, vision, and operations of a community services organization.
Preparation
You are interested in expanding your role as a nurse and are considering working in an area where you can help to promote equal opportunity and improve the quality of life within the local or global community. You are aware of several nonprofit organizations and government agencies whose work contributes to this effort in some way. You have particular interest in one of these organizations but would like to know more about its contributions to public health and safety improvements. You would like to report the results of your research in a scholarly paper that you could submit for publication.
Research a selected local, national, or global nonprofit organization or government agency from the list provided. Determine how the organization or agency contributes to public health and safety improvements, promotes equal opportunity, and improves the quality of life within the community. Submit your findings in a 3–5 page report.
As you begin to prepare this assessment, it would be an excellent choice to complete the Nonprofit Organizations and Community Health activity. Complete this activity to gain insight into promoting equal opportunity and improving the quality of life in a community. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment.
Choose the organization or agency you are most interested in researching:
American Red Cross.
Habitat for Humanity.
United Way.
Doctors Without Borders.
The Salvation Army.
United Nations Children\’s Fund (UNICEF).
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
National Center for Transgender Equality.
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging.
Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders.
Equal Justice Initiative.
National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Urban Triage.
World Health Organization.
The Arc: For People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Alliance for Retired Americans.
Futures Without Violence.
Blue Campaign: What Is Human Trafficking?
Covenant House.
Cultural Survival.
Note: As you revise your writing, check out the resources listed on the Writing Center\’s Writing Support page.
Instructions
Research a selected local, national, or global nonprofit organization or government agency from the list provided. Determine how the organization or agency contributes to public health and safety improvements, promotes equal opportunity, and improves the quality of life within the community. Submit your findings in a 3–5 page report.
As you begin to prepare this assessment, it would be an excellent choice to complete the Nonprofit Organizations and Community Health activity. Complete this activity to gain insight into promoting equal opportunity and improving the quality of life in a community. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment. After completing this activity, choose an organization or agency from the list that you are most interested in researching.
Document Format and Length
Format your paper using APA style.
Refer to the APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
A title page and references page. An abstract is not required.
Appropriate section headings.
Your paper should comprise 3–5 pages of content plus title and references pages.
Supporting Evidence
Cite at least three credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional industry publications published within the past 5 years that support your research findings.
Graded Requirements
The research requirements, outlined below, correspond to the grading criteria in the assessment scoring guide, so be sure to address each point.
Explain how the organization’s mission and vision enable it to contribute to public health and safety improvements.
Include examples of ways a local and/or global initiative supports organizational mission and vision and promotes public health and safety.
Evaluate an organization’s ability to promote equal opportunity and improve the quality of life in the community.
Consider the effects of social, cultural, economic, and physical barriers.
Assess the impact of funding sources, policy, and legislation on the organization’s provision of services.
Consider the potential implications of funding decisions, policy, and legislation for individuals, families, and aggregates within the community.
Explain how an organization’s work impacts the health and/or safety needs of a local community.
Consider how nurses might become involved with the organization.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions; contains few errors in grammar/punctuation, word choice, and spelling.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references exhibiting nearly flawless adherence to APA format.
Write with a specific purpose and audience in mind.
Adhere to scholarly and disciplinary writing standards and APA formatting requirements.
Additional Requirements
Before submitting your paper, proofread it to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it difficult for them to focus on your research findings.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Analyze health risks and health care needs among distinct populations.
Explain how an organization\’s work impacts the health and/or safety needs of a local community.
Competency 2: Propose health promotion strategies to improve the health of populations.
Explain how an organization\’s mission and vision enable it to contribute to public health and safety improvements.
Competency 3: Evaluate health policies, based on their ability to achieve desired outcomes.
Assess the impact of funding sources, policy, and legislation on an organization’s service delivery.
Competency 4: Integrate principles of social justice in community health interventions.
Evaluate an organization\’s ability to promote equal opportunity and improve the quality of life in a community.
Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly communication strategies to lead health promotion and improve population health.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions; contains few errors in grammar/punctuation, word choice, and spelling.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references exhibiting nearly flawless adherence to APA format.