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Issue Statement
   The Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood had a total population of 4087 in 1990 (US Census 1990 estimate). Information gleamed from the "Project Respond" report, which was for the 63110 zip code, reflects the following about the state of health in FPSE.

   Another report from the neighborhood health center, "the Family Care Health Centers Community Needs Assessment Update, September 198", indicates the following state of health in FPSE compared to the City of St. Louis:

   It seems clear from the above information that the FPSE neighborhood exceeds, by a wide margin, the comparative norms. As you can see we have omitted mental health and problems of addiction in our list and the interconnection of all health issues with economics and environment. We have limited our scope in order to attempt to reduce the complexity of our undertaking. Understanding that this plan is an evolving one, we decided to focus on two health problems that have the potential for significant change. The first is pre and postnatal care and the second is lead poisoning. Both effect the ability of children to thrive/learn and adults to take the advantage of learning and career opportunities. Moreover it is our understanding that the same housing conditions that is a root cause of lead poisoning is also a factor in pulmonary conditions such as asthma. We have identified the following factors in our effort to address these two issues.

• Quality of pre-natal and post-natal care
• Educating the community vis-à-vis phenomenon of lead poisoning
• Screening for lead poisoning in the first two years of life
• Housing conditions which facilitate the condition of lead poisoning/asthma

Benchmarks    If the above data were an accurate portrayal of the health of FPSE then a decrease in the percentages over the next five years would be a benchmark. This decrease would suggest that: pregnant women are seeking pre-natal care, a greater number of births are of normal weight, and are eating well, immunizations are occurring at the appropriate times, more residents know about lead poisoning and are alerting the proper community authority such that screening and housing problems are addressed, random lead screening of housing in the neighborhood has occurred and abatement is in the process, children who have been diagnosed with lead poisoning are being identified and services being provided, and decreased hospitalizations or visits to the doctor for asthma attacks.

Baseline Analysis
   Data to be collected includes:

• number of pregnant women brought into the health care system
• birth weights and immunizations of children born to FPSE residents
• types of food in community pantries
• number of meetings or one-on-one educating of adults re: housing conditions and lead poisoning/asthma
• calls to community authority regarding housing conditions and possibility of lead
• number of houses screened for lead poisoning
• number of children diagnosed with lead poisoning and types of services provided
• number of houses under lead hazard control
• number of emergency room and/or hospitalizations for asthma/lead poisoning

Strategies

• Employ an experienced nurse in Community Health Nursing within the first year.
  • Responsibilities include: retrieving baseline data and using the data to partner with other neighborhood organizations to impact the health of the community and evaluating the progress of health programs.
  • The Community Health Nurse will coordinate education, screening, outreach, treatment and follow-up in FPSE.
  • Given the level of responsibility of the Community Health Nurse, the qualifications will include a Masters level degree with 2-5 years experience working with urban, diverse residents and coalitions. Experience in planning and executing programs to improve neighborhood health.
  • Will work closely with the Community Health Care Worker.
  • The Community Health Nurse will report to the David Ranken Health Committee and Human Service Manager on health programs. The position also requires quarterly reports to the FPSE Community Council and other stakeholders.
• Employ a Community Health Care Worker within the first year.
  • Will assist the Community Health Nurse in executing programs to improve neighborhood health.
  • The Community Health Care Worker must have a high school degree or equivalent and must live in the community.
  • The Community Health Care Worker will report to the Community Health Nurse.
• Develop and conduct a survey to more clearly identify the health needs of residents.
• Determine the feasibility of partnering with current lead hazard control programs for abating lead in FPSE. In addition, determine the feasibility of establishing a FPSE residents' commercial lead abatement venture, which would abate lead in FPSE. Involved FPSE residents would be trained by the staff of these programs. Determine the equipment needed for such an endeavor.
• Engage the Residential Management Services, currently subcontracted to the FPSE/HUD grant for property improvement, to address lead hazard control in those managed properties.

Performance Measures
  A database will be constructed. Reports written by the Community Health Care Nurse, will be presented on a quarterly basis to the FPSE Community Council and sent to relevant stakeholders. Progress of the efforts in this area will be documented by in collaboration with the Human Service Project Manager and presented on a quarterly basis to the FPSE Community Council and sent to relevant stakeholders.

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