Community Health Initiatives Program (CHIP)

Ambulatory Care Network Community Programs

Through community-based organizations, community groups or schools, the CCHE Community Initiatives Program (CHIP) conducts single or multi-session workshops and presentations for adults in the upper Manhattan community for parents of ACN School-Based Health Center schools. These workshops cover a variety of topics related to family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV prevention, male health, family life and sexuality, parent-child communication, child and adolescent development, stress management and other specific health topics (like H1N1 influenza or asthma).

CCHE coordinates other collaborative projects with community-based organizations like Alianza Dominicana, the Washington Heights Inwood Coalition and the Dominican Womens Development Center to provide health and community forums and presentations to adults and CBO staff in the community. CCHE conducted over 65 educational presentations to over 2,600 participants in 2009.

Since 1976 CCHE has addressed an important community need by providing multi-session courses on family life education in upper Manhattan. To date, over 2,000 adult community members have completed this course which provides important reproductive health information and education on child and adolescent development education as well as opportunities for enhancing communication skills to support child and adult interactions and healthier relationships.

In 2010 CCHE will pilot a Healthy Lifestyles course in collaboration with CHALK and Health Corp, Inc. This course will integrate nutritional and exercise initiatives with motivational small changes that adults and parents can then implement in the home and with their families.