Health support workers play a vital role in the medical industry. Their specialization can range from surgical assistance, maternity ward support or mental health services.
According to the salutogenic concept of Sense of Coherence, close supportive relations are one of the main sources of generalized resistance that influence health outcomes for an individual. Social support has proven its worth as an antidote against both mental disorders and physical impairments.
School-Based Health Services
School-based health services (SBHCs) offer children and adolescents a range of age-appropriate clinical health services provided in school by trained health professionals such as nurses or nurse practitioners. Some school-based health centers also feature mental health providers and dental professionals for added services that could include primary, preventive care as well as acute medical attention or diagnostic testing for illnesses like earaches or strep throat.
Students who utilize school-based health services tend to perform better academically; however, not all students take advantage of them – perhaps due to not knowing they have access or being afraid to discuss their emotions with a mental health provider, or due to concerns of stigmatization. Schools can help support student use by creating trusting relationships between providers and pupils and making sure all feel comfortable accessing these services.
Community-Based Health Services
Community health services are delivered in various settings. Their goal is to connect people to social and physical resources available in their environment so that they may become self-sufficient instead of needing professional treatment for symptoms.
These programs may provide medical, dental and mental healthcare support services as well as education and outreach activities. Their goal is to arm individuals with knowledge, skills and confidence they need to manage their own wellbeing effectively, avoid hospitalizations and emergency care visits and remain in their own homes longer.
Community health centers and mobile health clinics provide these services. Outreach programs may teach citizens how to avoid costly healthcare situations through lifestyle modifications that prevent unnecessary healthcare situations from arising and provide resources such as affordable healthcare or translation services. Furthermore, such initiatives work to decrease regional risks like drug-related overdoses and HIV transmission by engaging local members in conducting an analysis of community health needs assessments.
Support Groups
Support groups allow individuals to share their experiences regarding common health issues with one another in an open, supportive and often free setting. Furthermore, support groups provide participants with a sense of community belonging and can connect them with organizations or professionals that provide guidance and advice.
Support group members can offer invaluable advice based on their own personal experiences, helping other group members gain new insights and increase understanding about their condition. Furthermore, they may suggest specific coping mechanisms and self-care practices.
Support groups can meet either in-person or virtually. Meetings of an in-person support group typically occur in hospitals, clinics, treatment centers and non-profit organizations; alternatively they may take place at private residences or community centers. Online meetings typically occur via video-conferencing software and some people find participating easier due to social anxiety or physical limitations if participating online compared with offline support groups; however it’s important for participants to maintain confidentiality as inappropriate comments can quickly spread in an anonymous virtual space.
NYC Health Department
Public health practitioners must find solutions to everyday problems in a way that promotes health, reinforces safety, and mitigates hazards. They often face obstacles that range from declining trust in government bodies to limited funds and stretched staff resources.
This collection displays an assortment of objects collected by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) for use in various community health initiatives. These objects came from one donor and span decades in NYC DOHMH history.
New York City boasts an expansive network of federally qualified health centers and community care providers dedicated to meeting community needs. Through NYC Care, the Department of Health + Hospitals helps uninsured New York City residents enroll in affordable insurance options through providing membership cards with discounts or free services; furthermore, certified application counselors at locations across all five boroughs offer enrollment assistance services as part of Office of Health Insurance Access services.
