May 13, 2024
– By Cristin Brawner –
ENI is a community-focused, community-driven initiative. ENI Advisory Groups help ensure ENI is locally focused and locally led. They also ensure the success of ENI by leveraging local assets to meet local needs.
Advisory Group members are community leaders who care about improving health and well-being. Advisory Group members come from a variety of backgrounds and professions. ENI Advisory Groups include “traditional” leaders like mayors and county commissioners. They also involve those who may not have a fancy title, but who care deeply about their community.
The ENI Advisory Groups are as unique as their communities. Advisory Group members bring their perspectives, expertise, and leadership to ENI. They bring their ideas for improving health and well-being in their communities. Their lived experiences bring unique perspectives.
Advisory Groups at Work
So, what do Advisory Groups do? They provide advice, guidance, and recommendations for improving health and well-being in their communities. They explore possibilities. Advisory Group members identify opportunities and persistent challenges. They ask, “How can we leverage our assets to solve our health problems?” Then they get to work.
Advisory Group members worked together to advance health equity within their communities. They did this by crafting health equity action plans. Advisory Groups engaged their neighbors in the planning process. As a result, the plans reflect many perspectives and new ideas. The plans are blueprints for taking action to improve health and wellbeing.
Health equity plans weren’t written to sit on a shelf. ENI Advisory Groups are actively implementing their plans! For example, Haleyville and Pittsview recently hosted health fairs. This fulfills a major action step in their health plans. Prichard had a resolution to better promote existing health resources. They have now finished compiling their health resource directory. The MOWA Choctaw Indians opened a weekend health clinic, achieving a key goal in their health equity plan. All 20 ENI Advisory Groups are dedicated to reaching their health equity plan goals.
Advisory Group members also connect trusted partners to ENI. They regularly ask, “Who is not at the table already? How can we connect with them?” Advisory Group members expand the table and bring in new partners. ENI partners are as diverse as the communities they represent. They include faith-based organizations, nonprofits, healthcare providers, local governments, health departments, libraries, and many others.
ENI Fayette Community Liaison Brittina Moore describes her Advisory Group members as connectors. They bring new resources and partners to the table. She relays that “… the quality and commitment to uncovering resources and connecting organizations is unwavering. Through this commitment, exposure, and networking, our community has access to and knowledge of a wealth of equitable benefits.”
ENI partners assist Advisory Groups in many ways. They each bring their strengths to the table to benefit ENI. For example, The Collinsville Public Library is an amazing community connector. They are also a trusted public space for their community. The library hosts health-related workshops in partnership with ENI. They have even provided vision screenings in the past.
Advisory Group members lead the way in providing local solutions to health challenges. The programming they develop represents their community’s unique culture and assets. For example, ENI’s tribal partners incorporate health education into their annual powwows. Advisory Groups also use holidays like Juneteenth and Veterans Day to spotlight health. Advisory Group members connect local health resources to ENI. They host health fairs, convene health workshops, and provide health clinics.
Making a Difference
Advisory Groups impact ENI communities in a myriad of ways. They have forged new connections, relationships, and partnerships. These partnerships form the foundation for all the good work they’re accomplishing. They also contribute to a stronger community. Connected communities are better equipped to address any challenge that comes their way.
ENI Advisory Groups regularly convene capacity-building workshops that make a huge impact. All twenty ENI communities equipped residents to become mental health first aiders. This cohort of folks are able to “identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.”
Advisory Groups have also hosted five regional grant writing workshops. ENI communities now have several people able to write grants to improve their towns. Some communities have already secured new funding to improve health! This ability to secure new funding will sustain a lasting impact in ENI partner communities.
Advisory Groups also assisted with hosting 30 health fairs and clinics. The health fairs connected residents to local, regional, and statewide health resources. Community members received health care, education, and referrals to specialists. Additionally, some clinics offered COVID-19 testing and vaccination. ENI Advisory Groups prioritized hosting regular health fairs in their health equity plans. Doing so helps address the chronic health problems of their communities. They are also a first step in providing local, accessible care.
Advisory Group members have even improved their personal health through ENI. Some take part in regular walking groups. Many have attended seminars on pressing health concerns. While others have received training on self-care and maintaining personal mental health. Advisory Groups are also getting more active through the 100 Alabama Miles Challenge!
Looking to the Future
ENI Advisory Groups show no signs of slowing down! They’re continuing to plan health fairs and clinics. They’re preparing for capacity-building workshops. And they’re getting more community members active in their healing zones.
Advisory Groups were designed to last well beyond ENI. They’ve been equipped to lead their communities in improving health and wellbeing. They have the passion and skills to continue the work of advancing health equity well beyond ENI. We look forward to seeing all they do together in the future!
