HHD has extensive experience designing projects from creative
concept or contract specifications through to implementation
at a national scale. We also play a role in specific aspects
of a project led by other partners. Staff are highly experienced
in managing both small-scale consultations as well as large
multi-million dollar contracts. Our goal is to provide effective
management, with the highest quality products and services,
delivered in a timely way. We are committed to careful program
design and management to fully realize goals and objectives.
HHD believes that creating effective change
requires research based strategies targeted to both institutions
and individuals. Thus, we have created many forms of assessment
and action planning tools for schools, hospitals, community
organizations, national and state agencies. We also create
tools to assess specific challenges and situations. We believe
in assessing strengths to know the resources people can bring
to addressing challenges, as well as documenting needs or
problems. Our assessment tools enable policy makers and practitioners
to interpret the data and proceed to action planning.
National state, and local policies, as well
as those of individual schools, hospitals and community organizations,
if enforced, can improve health and justice. HHD’s work
on policy development and enforcement recognizes that gains
in health behavior are frequently made through effective and
enforced policy, such as the age 21 drinking law. HHD conducts
policy research, synthesizes existing research into easy-to-use
publications to advise policy makers and practitioners, and
works with state and local agencies to design strategies to
implement and enforce their policies.
For the last fifteen years, HHD has gained
extensive experience designing and managing resource centers
that work to strengthen practitioners capacity to address
issues of health and justice. Our methods are based on a thorough
understanding of the technology transfer process—what
it takes to apply ‘proven strategies’—in new
and different sites. Our resource centers offer professional
development and ongoing coaching (face-to-face and on-line),
development and dissemination of creative materials and evaluation.
To learn more about HHD’s resource centers,
visit the following sites:
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HHD’s methodologies for change include
professional development activities that begin with assessing
the needs of the learner and situation, and then combine face-to-face
events and ongoing coaching and mentoring. Research has shown
that to produce change in every day practice, professional
development events must go beyond one session training. Our
services range from the design of large scale national resource
centers offering national conferences, to smaller seminars
and workshops for a targeted group of professionals. We create
the assessment tools, training and facilitator materials,
and models for training-of-trainers. HHD uses Information
and Communications Technologies for on-line and distance learning
to maximize reach and continued connection among learners
and faculty.
Technology is integrated into the entire fabric
of our organizational infrastructure and projects. We view
technology as an important tool to solve communication and
learning problems in health and justice. The nature of our
technology applications vary from project to project, depending
on the needs of users and learners, the cultural setting,
and the resources available for investment. Our commitment
is to develop user-oriented learning systems and materials
to ensure that solutions are user-driven, not technology driven.
Specific experience includes: distance education and broadcast
technologies using Web-based products and programs; teleconferencing;
interactive multimedia technologies, electronic networking
technologies, and computer-assisted learning systems.
EDC was founded for the original purpose of
creating innovative curricula to foster active learning in
science. Over the years, we have expanded and applied these
approaches to the fields of social science, health and criminal
and social justice. Research has shown that of all approaches
in health education, interactive methods are the most effective
for changing behavior that results in healthy life styles.
Training materials, curricula, audio-visual materials, case
studies, books, games, public service announcements, radio
learning programs, and Web-based products are all tools we
produce to address issues of health and justice. For examples,
click on products.
HHD uses research and evaluation to: inform
policy and program planning; guide the choice and development
of prevention strategies; shape the development of materials
and training activities; measure changes in individual and
systems behaviors; and assess program reach and outcomes.
For example using quantitative and qualitative methods, HHD
has conducted large scale longitudinal surveys of over 3000
young people to evaluate the effectiveness of school and community-based
programs on reducing violence, alcohol and drug use and sexual
risk taking. In clinics and other health service settings,
our research has involved randomized trials of prevention
programs, for example, to prevent sexually transmitted diseases
or to increase cancer screening. Through meta-analyses of
existing health and justice programs, we inform future efforts
and policies. Using rapid assessment tools with ministries
of education and local schools in other countries, we facilitate
data collection to guide their plans to improve school health
programs. As important as science is to our methods, we consider
the dissemination and use of results by a range of stakeholders
to be equally critical.
HHD uses a variety of media and marketing
strategies to promote health and justice. For example, social
marketing campaigns, using modern advertising techniques may
be delivered through varied channels to reach the intended
audience. Using these techniques, we also design campaigns
to promote healthy social norms. For example, if education
campaigns on college campuses promote the notion that most
students don’t use tobacco and alcohol, more young people
will gravitate to that norm. HHD has experience in developing
mass media campaigns on critical public health issues. We
also offer training and technical assistance to agencies to
develop their own skills in media advocacy and media literacy.
Contact
Us
This page was last updated on 10/11/00.
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