The RAISE Coalition: Lessons Learned From a Multisector Coalition Used to Implement High-impact Population-Wide Strategies in Cleveland, Ohio.

BACKGROUND: Recent public health initiatives include policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies with the aim of improving community health. These high-impact, population-wide strategies provide opportunities for multisector coalitions to engage and inform the implementation process to ultimately reach underrepresented communities, like Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to discuss (1) the objectives of "Reaching Asian Americans through Innovative and Supportive Engagement," (RAISE) a multisector coalition (2) describe the process in which the coalition was engaged in, and (3) share lessons learned that can inform future partnerships with various sectors that reach AAPI communities that are highly diverse and in geographically dispersed areas. METHODS: Asian Services In Action, a community-based organization in Cleveland, Ohio recruited 10 member organizations to participate in a multisector coalition to identify, plan and implement a PSE strategy reaching AAPIs. LESSONS LEARNED: Key lessons learned include: the need to navigate competing priorities for member organizations; the value in creating a space where racial/ethnic diversity and cultural adaption are discussed; and the importance of creating a shared learning community for coalition members. CONCLUSIONS: As the public health landscape shifts toward effectively improving community health through PSE strategies, it is vital that multisector coalitions are included to potentially have the greatest impact in health overall and to increase community engagement and buy-in.

Improving Access to Healthy Foods for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders: Lessons Learned from the STRIVE Program.

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) experience a large burden from certain chronic disease-related risk factors. The STRIVE Program funded four AANHPI community-based organizations (CBOs) to implement culturally adapted community gardens and farmers' markets to increase access to healthy foods. Key CBO informant interviews were conducted to understand processes and lessons learned.

Using evidence-based policy, systems, and environmental strategies to increase access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Recent initiatives have focused on the dissemination of evidence-based policy, systems, and environmental (EBPSE) strategies to reduce health disparities. Targeted, community-level efforts are needed to supplement these approaches for comparable results among Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs).The STRIVE Project funded 15 Asian American and NHPI community-based organizations (CBOs) to implement culturally adapted strategies. Partners reached more than 1.4 million people at a cost of $2.04 per person. CBOs are well positioned to implement EBPSE strategies to reduce health disparities.

Recommendations for implementing policy, systems, and environmental improvements to address chronic diseases in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Emphasis has increased recently on disseminating high-impact, population-wide strategies for the prevention of chronic diseases. However, such strategies are typically not effective at reaching Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, or other underserved communities. The objectives of this article were to 1) present the methods of the Strategies to Reach and Implement the Vision of Health Equity program in which 15 community-based organizations in the United States and the Pacific region implemented evidence-based policy, systems, and environmental improvements in their local communities and 2) provide recommendations for using these tailored approaches in other communities and geographic locations. Further support is needed for organizations in tailoring these types of population-wide strategies. Implementing population health improvements should be adapted to maximize effectiveness to decrease chronic diseases in these populations and ultimately eliminate racial/ethnic health disparities.