Assessing Needs and Developing Interventions with New Populations

ABSTRACT

The predominance of chronic and lifestyle-induced conditions has emphasized the need for greater access to health care in the community. A corresponding concern is educating practitioners so they are equipped to assume positions in the community at graduation. Lack of preparation to work in the community has led to reluctance on the part of practitioners to pursue positions in the community (Walens et al., 1998). However, the current climate of health care creates many opportunities for practitioners and educators who are willing to make a commitment to work collaboratively with agencies in the community for a common good. The purpose of this paper is to broaden understanding of community built practice by sharing a collaborative process in fieldwork education that was undertaken by faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Key Words:

• Community fieldwork
• collaborative learning
• collaborative supervision
• domestic violence