IHEOP Health Education Classes through Imani Clinic, 2015

Drafted by: Amanda Alonzo

Purpose
The purpose of this letter is to address the needs of families and
residents of the Oak Park Community, participants of YXP, as well as
patients of Imani Clinic. In the Oak Park community, many residents
lack resources and opportunities to receive health education. Imani
clinic serves many people who are diagnosed with hypertension,
diabetes, and other illnesses that require more in depth education and
learning of practical tools that may help them in improving their health
and the lifestyle of their families. Countless families at YXP events and
patients of Imani clinic often attend our events or clinics asking for
such education classes or resources.
I am proposing that through the combined effort of YXP and Imani
Clinic, as well as any other outside organizations or allies of the Oak
Park community, team up to provide health education classes for
community members and patients of Imani clinic.
Issue of the Lack of Health Education in Oak Park
Winter quarter 2015 students of UCD of a Community and Regional
Development class researched the Oak Park area and spoke with many
residents. The class held a town hall meeting in late March 2015 to
present their research. Participants were interviewed and asked a
series of questions pertaining to what changes they would like to see in
their community. Participants answered freely, and students found that
the most common response was access to food or nutrition education.
It was followed by youth empowerment and participation.
Imani Clinic serves countless patients who regularly attend clinic to
receive help and care for their diabetes, hypertension, depression,
anxiety or all combined. After meeting with a doctor, patients meet
with an IHEOP counselor to provide them with extra resources and
advice on how they may be able to improve their health. As an IHEOP
counselor and from speaking with these patients as well as attending
the town hall meeting, it is evident that an extra effort and step is
needed to address the lack of a holistic health education and respond
to the communitys call for this.
YXP holds an important presence and serves a key role in the Oak Park
community. Every weekend, YXP provides a space for community
members to convene and discuss community issues and receive
information and resources. Furthermore, community members are able
to receive health resources through outreach events that are held
every weekend with the combined efforts of Imani clinic and other
organizations and schools. Together, Imani clinic and YXP have

combined forces to create some powerful community events- such as

Hoops for Health, Sunrise Breakfast, and Turn-A-Page. These events
along with Imanis primary care services, serve a very dynamic
community with loyal patients and community members. They are also
key events that would create avenues for outreach and participation in
the health classes.
Imanis participation and help is a key role in the success of these
classes and what would separate our health education from other
health education classes in the Oak Park area. Patients that visit Imani
are for the most part regular and are mostly visiting for follow-ups or
check-ins with their diabetes or hypertension. Imani patients are
visited by IHEOP, however a greater space and playing field outside of
clinic is needed to tend to our IHEOP participants. Weekly health
education classes would not only provide this area, but give IHEOP
participants a greater advantage in providing this education as well as
utilize their education and training to the fullest.
Imani Clinics IHEOP Weekly Health Education Classes
The IHEOP Weekly Health Education Classes will give patients the
proper and holistic health education that they need and have asked for.
It will serve to accomplish this through its basic operation as follows:
Invite patients of Imani Clinic and participants of IHEOP to these
classes and connect their health to the primary care they receive
from their doctor visits
Families of the Oak Park community are able to attend these
classes and participate with each other in the health education
and improvement together as a family and community.
Reach out to a variety of age groups and needs through various
events: such as younger groups from Turn-A-Page and middle age
to older patients from Imani Clinic, as well as a variety of needs
and age groups from community members attending YXP
As well as serving the needs of the community, Health Education
classes will also provide Imani Clinic with important information about
the patients that we serve. This information includes and is not limited
to:
The current health awareness of patients and participants and
improvements that are gradually seen from attending the classes
Projections of the type of health concerns that are circulating the
community
The type of outreach that is needed for the success and growth
of Imani clinic

Specific health knowledge and care that are needed from the
physicians who volunteer at clinic on weekends

Health Education classes will help in the growth of YXP organization.

These classes will do so through the following ways:
Provide events where YXP could continue and expand their
outreach by having consistent participants come to these events
Raise the awareness of YXP to a broader range of people
Increase the competiveness of YXP in receiving grants through
another outlet of outreach and another event in which it
contributes to
Member Participation
In order to participate in the program, patients must enroll, or must
have met and had a consultation with an IHEOP member and have had
a visit with a doctor at an Imani clinic day prior to attending a class.
The basic course of the classes will consist of a 6 course plan created
and guided by the UC and USDAs Eating Smart and Being Active
program. The program consists of:
1. Plan, Shop, Save
2. Vary Your VeggiesFocus on Fruit
3. Make Half Your Grains Whole Grain
4. Build Strong Bones
5. Go Lean with Protein
6. Make a Change
7. Graduation!
IHEOP members and Imani Clinic representatives will undergo extra
training by a Eating Smart and Being Active representative and work
with them to make or add changes that would address the specific
needs of the Oak Park community and their patients.
As far as IHEOP and member participation, IHEOP members would be
required to attend to of these classes and be exempted from Imani
outreach requirements as their duties will include a great deal of
outreach.
Outside Organization and Member Participation
The success and growth of this program will require the close
involvement of IHEOP and Imani Clinic members as well as outside
organizations and resources, such as:
YXP
UC system and USDAs Eat Smart and Be Active Program
Ubuntu Green
Sacramento Food Bank
Physician and local health professional involvement

Forecasting and Addressing Problems that May Arise

Conflicts with outside organizations in the services that they
provide: these classes address the needs and the call for such
services by Imani Clinic patients and Oak Park members, whom
long standing relationships and connections have been fostered
with through many years of service and partnership
Minimal financial support and resources: this will call on the help
of YXP members and Imani clinic volunteers to search for outside
grants and resources that could contribute to the growth and
success of this program. This could be included in fundraising
and outreach requirements.
Conclusion
The Imani Clinic IHEOP Health Education Classes will answer the call
and need for more particular health education tailored to the needs of
patients of Imani Clinic. It will provide a unique and more holistic
experience for not only the patients but for volunteers in the Oak Park
community, allowing a more rounded and broader view of how health
education needs to be addressed.