| Program Overview:
Community Pediatrics at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital, in partnership with local Community Based Organizations,
initiated the Health Education and Adult Literacy (HEAL) Program in
2007. The HEAL Program addresses the issue of poor health literacy
that exists among the underserved population of Washington Heights.
Health literacy refers to “the capacity of individuals to obtain,
process, and understand basic health information and services needed
to make appropriate health decisions” (Healthy People 2020)
The Health Education and Adult Literacy (HEAL) Program was developed
to improve the health literacy of patients in Washington Heights in
New York City.
Community volunteers, pediatricians, pediatric residents,
medical students, and family support workers from local community
based organization have been trained in the HEAL project on how to
appropriately address health literacy in different health care and
community settings. .
Mission/ Goals:
Address health literacy in order to improve health outcomes among
the population served. Our goals are to:
• Develop culturally responsive health education materials regarding
medication use and treatment of the common cold, using the basic tenets
of health literacy
• Train pediatric providers, family support workers and community
volunteers to appropriately address low health literacy
• Implement the curriculum in various health care settings and
community based organizations that serve the low-income community
Number of people served per year:
• 180 patients’ caregivers are served per year in Columbia
University Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Network Clinics.
• 20 residents and 8 medical students each year are trained
in the health literacy curriculum
• 10 volunteers each year are trained in effective communication
skills and the basic tenets of health literacy
Outcomes/ Results:
• 82% of patients’ caregivers were positively
receptive to the information offered by volunteers, medical residents,
and Family Support Workers.
• Increase health literacy knowledge among family support workers
trained
• Increased knowledge and improved health care practices when
implementing this curriculum in local Head Starts
Partners:
• Alianza Best Beginnings Program
• Children’s Aid Society Early Headstart Programs
• Columbia University Headstart Program
• Ft. George Community Center
• Literacy Assistance Center
• Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation
• Odyssey House
Contact information:
Program Coordinator
Emelin Martinez
Phone: (212) 305-0901
Email: emm9016@nyp.org
Faculty Lead/Medical Director
Dodi Meyer MD
Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
Phone: 212-305-6227
Email: ddm11@columbia.edu
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