Starting and Sustaining a Statewide Coalition to Promote Health Education: The New York Experience

Abstract

This article describes the formation and first 5 years of the New York State Coalition for Health Education (NYSCHE), an alliance of health education organizations to promote health education as a major strategy for improving the health of all New Yorkers. The authors define coalition, delineate coalition formation and maintenance tasks, describe the various uses/foci of coalitions, and identify key publications in the health education coalition-related literature. Then, juxtaposing key principles of coalition building with their own experiences, the authors tell the story of the formation and maintenance of the NYSCHE. They discuss recruitment, membership, mission, governance, strategic planning, and activities. In conclusion, the authors raise coalition maintenance and evaluation challenges suggested by the professional literature, and offer the coalition as a case study opportunity.