HEALTH PROMOTION ONTARIO (PUBLIC HEALTH) STRATEGIC PLANNING UPDATE

Greetings HPO(ph) members and potential members.  Many of you were present
at the November 2002 HPO(ph) strategic planning session at Deerhurst Resort
where we began our quest to revitalize HPO(ph)  activities.  Though this
correspondence is long overdue (many apologies), the HPO(ph)  executive has
not forgotten what we heard that day.  Now that we have largely recovered
from the SARS and West Nile Virus demands that temporarily took our regular
work offline, we are ready to fire up our engines and proceed with phase two
of the process.

Before we tackle next steps, let's revisit our findings from that strategic
planning day of so long ago!  Early in the session, which was skillfully
facilitated by Nancy Dubois of The Health Communication Unit, it became very
clear that much has changed since HPO(ph) began in 1987.

Originally a small group of people filling the newly developed job
description of health promoter in health departments across Ontario, HPO(ph)
was a networking forum that helped health promoters share resources and
brainstorm about challenges. 'It also raised the profile of health promotion
needs and helped other related organizations be aware of community level
challenges.

Since that time, as session participants pointed out, the field has
exploded!  There are now over 200 people in Ontario health departments who
hold the 'health promoter' title (or some variation of it) and hundreds more
doing work that falls into the category of health promotion.  And the
explosion has not been restricted to Public Health.  Other sectors are also
investing staff and resources into health promotion.  Some label it as such,
but many don't.  The boundaries of health promotion have also expanded, so
that we now have Public Health, health promotion specialists of all kinds
working on workplace issues, substance abuse issues, school issues, a
variety of broad determinants of health issues, etc.  The backgrounds of
these 'specialists' vary widely.

These are all extremely positive trends.  But they mean that Public Health
promoter networking and continuing education needs have become more specific
and segmented.  HPO(ph)'s mandate, to provide professional development,
networking and advocacy for the generic 'health promoter' within Public
Health must be adapted to meet the needs to emerging subgroups of health
promoters - some with very unique job descriptions and identities.  As
suggested at the strategic planning session, this may be done by creating
specialist 'streams' of HPO(ph), or by finding out what role HPO(ph) might
play on the common ground where all of these specialties intersect.  Or a
combination of both.

How to do this is not easily determined.  Other organizations are already
doing some of this.  Many continuing education and networking functions have
already been filled by the Ontario Health Promotion Resource System
(www.ohprs.ca) and OHPRS partners.

OPHA is a very well organized shop, with members far beyond Public Health,
which tackles a wide variety of issues through specific workgroups,
advocating strongly for and against all kinds of legislation that may impact
on the health of Ontarians.  Setting, channel and topic specific Public
Health networks are cropping up across the province constantly, independent
of HPO(ph).

So what is unique to HPO(ph)?  What are the benefits for members?  What
would be missed if HPO(ph) folded?  These questions - raised at the planning
session were not clearly answered that day.  However, it was evident that
most health promoters present felt strongly that HPO(ph) was desirable and
necessary and that there were professional development, networking and
advocacy gaps to fill.  Most of all, participants felt that there are many
times when a strong, unified Public Health promotion voice should be raised.

Which brings us to next steps.  The HPO(ph) executive has teamed up with The
Health Communication Unit to offer members and potential members the
opportunity to clarify future directions for HPO(ph) in the specialty areas
of communication and Public Health management as well as in a broad,
inter-sectoral policy development arena.  Please join us on September 22,
2003 in Toronto.  We need your help to create a strong Public Health
promotion force that will meet your professional needs and the health needs
of Ontarians.  Details of the exciting sessions being offered are noted
below.  Register now!

Health Promotion - Face the Future
Monday, Sept. 22, 2003
at Oakham House, 63 Gould St., Toronto

9:00 am         Dr. Elinor Wilson, Heart & Stroke Foundation, will discuss the
future of public health in our society.
10:15 am        Brian Hyndman, The Health Communication Unit, will focus on what
advocacy issues HPO(ph) can act on in the upcoming year.
12:00           lunch
12:45           HPO(ph) AGM
2:00 pm         Concurrent Sessions: A) Communication Networking (filled) or  B)
Public Health Manager's Network or  C) Review Health Communication Message
Tools. All sessions facilitated by THCU


Jill Faulkner
Chair, HPO(ph)

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www.hpoph.org

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