Community Health

At OMNI, our work begins with the principle that every person should have the opportunity to be healthy, regardless of who they are, where they live, or their level of wealth. This core belief guides our approach to partnership with clients and how we investigate, assess, and evaluate prevention, health promotion and intervention, and health outcomes.

OMNI’s team of community health evaluators and practitioners work with community health partners, state and local governments, foundations, agencies, and nonprofits to improve health conditions and advance equity in their communities. At every stage of the process, from assessment and planning to implementation and evaluation, we work alongside our clients to support their use of data and evidence-based practices to ensure their efforts are informed, inclusive, and comprehensive. 

Our team brings diverse backgrounds and lived experiences; advanced degrees across fields such as Public Health, Public Policy, Social Work, and Psychology; and an understanding of essential health frameworks and models, including Public Health 3.0, the Social-Ecological Model, Youth Risk and Protective Factors, SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework, and Social Determinants of Health. 

Our community health-focused projects span diverse content areas, including health equity, HIV, maternal child health, behavioral health, chronic disease, and community engagement. Below, we highlight examples of our recent community health work.  

For more information on our health assessment expertise specifically, visit Health Assessments.

Project Examples

Understanding the Needs of Coloradans Living with HIV to Inform Policy

The goal of the Colorado Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need (CoSCSN) is to provide a depth of information that will inform development of the Colorado Integrated HIV Prevention and Care plan. As the CoSCSN research and evaluation partner, OMNI gathered community input through comprehensive surveys, focus group, and interview processes from people in the state of Colorado who are either living with HIV or who are at risk for contracting HIV. Perspectives from community throughout the state were gathered and are the foundation of the findings within this report.

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Data from community input are complemented by secondary data sources including data on the HIV care continuum in the state, provider shortage areas, and a comprehensive epidemiological picture of the current state of HIV care needs and prevention needs in Colorado.

The report is developed to support the HIV National Strategic Plan: A Roadmap to End the Epidemic which creates a shared vision for HIV prevention and care service delivery across the nation by addressing four key goals:

  • Prevent new HIV infections

  • Improve HIV-related health outcomes for people with HIV

  • Reduce HIV-related disparities and health inequities

  • Achieve integrated, coordinated efforts that address the HIV epidemic among all partners

The report will be released in 2022.

Creating a Health Equity Toolkit for Rural and Remote Communities

Rural and remote public health departments often face disproportionate underfunding and a lack of reliable and sufficient data to examine health disparities. With generous funding support from the Telligen Community Initiative, OMNI partnered with Pitkin County Public Health and Silver Thread Public Health District to develop a Health Equity Toolkit for Rural and Remote Communities to specifically fill this resource gap.

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The toolkit provides concrete action steps to help rural and remote public health departments increase their capacity to advance health equity within their unique communities. This curriculum includes five modules each with one to five learning sessions that can integrate into existing meetings. Curriculum includes slide decks, a facilitators guide, and extensive notes, handouts, homework, and resources. Each learning session is intended to build internal knowledge and capacity around health equity, generate an organizational commitment to improving health equity, and support the organization in institutionalizing its commitment to health equity. It can be co-facilitated by internal staff or a local facilitator.

To learn more, click here.

Recommendations for a Coordinated Behavioral Health System in Boulder County, Colorado

In 2019, Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) contracted OMNI to create a county-wide assessment to document needs and identify opportunities for developing a comprehensive and integrated behavioral health system, one that ensures timely access to appropriate care for all individuals.

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OMNI provided recommendations for the county’s two main objectives: 1) how to create a coordinated referral system for behavioral health disorders? And 2) how to scale up a law enforcement diversion and co-responder program across all of Boulder County?

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify evidence-based best practices for treatment and prevention services for individuals with behavioral health needs across service settings.

The Boulder County Project Oversight Team was formed to guide the work at every stage and included leaders from Public Health, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Community Services, and Housing and Human Services. Diverse vested partners at multiple levels across these sectors were also engaged throughout the process through multiple methods including surveys, interviews, and facilitated meetings. In total, more than 200 individuals generously provided their expertise and input to inform the assessment and resulting recommendations.

Read the full report here.

Working to Improve Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Wyoming

OMNI was contracted by the Wyoming Department of Health to conduct focus groups which will help the Maternal and Child Health Unit better understand the knowledge of parents and guardians as it relates to their priorities of (1) preventing maternal mortality, (2) preventing infant mortality, (3) improving systems of care for children and youth with special health care needs.

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In our work, we will gather data around

  • parent/guardian/caregiverinfant safe sleep practices

  • knowledge of the American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures preventive screening and well-child visit recommendations and related barriers to preventative screenings

  • knowledge of Wyoming system of care for children and youth with special healthcare needs

  • knowledge of well-woman visit recommendations and access and barriers to primary care

We look forward to sharing more in 2022.

Understanding the Unique Behavioral Health Needs of LGBTQ+ Coloradans

The mission of Envision:You is to support, educate, and empower members of Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community who are living with a mental health and/or substance use disorder. Envision:You has worked with OMNI on several needs assessments to understand the unique challenges facing LGBTQ+ Coloradans. Recent projects included a COVID-19 survey at the start of the pandemic and a robust State of the State Survey in 2021.

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The Colorado LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health State of the State Survey Report informs mental health organizations and providers, community organizations and other nonprofits, the general population, and policymakers on actionable steps to provide more equitable behavioral health resources for LGBTQ+ individuals in the state. The quantitative and qualitative data collected help contextualize the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals and can be used to fill gaps in programming, policy, and services. In addition, the data bolsters information on groups that remain underrepresented in existing research efforts and show emerging themes for these populations.

Click here to download the full report.

Supporting a Grassroots Public Health Organization focused on local BIPOC Communities

The Gyedi Project, co-founded by OMNI Research Manager Cynthia Hazel and her husband Dr. Kweku Hazel, is a grassroots community group centered in Aurora, Colorado aimed at empowering minority and underserved communities to tackle health inequities and improve community well-being. “Gyedi” is a Ghanaian Akan word that means “believe”. It is also a noun that translates to “self-belief”.

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The project prioritizes community and sub-community outreach, health education campaigns, and leadership trainings of volunteers to create access to health services among underserved communities.

The Gyedi project receives foundational support and fiscal sponsorship from OMNI. OMNI and our teams recognize that historical, cultural, structural, and social factors profoundly shape health outcomes for minority and underserved communities and individuals.

To learn more about the Gyedi Project and their COVID-19 vaccine equity clinics, click here.

Identifying the Causes and Conditions of Poverty in Adams County, Colorado - Community Services Block Grant Needs Assessment

The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) provides funds to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty in communities. A condition of the funds is fulfilling a Community Needs Assessment and development of a Community Action Plan every three years to address the needs of low-income residents.

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In our needs assessment of Adams County, Colorado, our goals were to:

  • Identify the causes and conditions of poverty in Adams County

  • Determine the needs of residents who have low-income

  • Determine how well the needs of residents are being met

  • Identify (organization-based and client-based) barriers to serving residents

  • Identify community strengths and assets

  • Solicit recommendations of solutions to address barriers

To address these goals, OMNI executed a secondary data review; administered an online survey to low-income residents and providers; conducted phone-based interviews with English-and Spanish-speaking residents; facilitated a virtual focus group with providers; and reviewed community resources. Click here to download the full report.

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