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Sentinel City Simulation

Example

Needs Assessment Summary

Demographics Assessment

Sentinel City (SC) is a mixture of different economic backgrounds with a mixture of people living on different ends of the spectrum. Demographic data revealed that the dominant race in SC is White with more than 80.6% of the population belonging to this race. Although the median household income for SC is just under 50K, more than 18.9% of the population lives below the poverty line. Additionally, the economic divide is quite prominent as residents in the Industrial Heights area have a median income of $24,672 and residents living in Nightingale Square area have a median income of $269, 550. Health disparities are also evident in SC with 22.7 of Casper Heights residents without insurance and 37.5 of Industrial Heights residents without insurance (Healthcare Learning Innovations, 2019).

Neighborhood/Safety Assessment

Despite the evident demographic shortfalls, it SC, it is a moderately safe place to reside. In completing the simulation, it was ironic to notice heaps of trash sitting outside of the Acer Tech building when that area has the second highest median income in SC. There was not any evidence of stray animals and all buildings appeared to be well kept. However, it is worth mentioning how Lily’s Restaurant could use some repairs. For an eating establishment, there were no pictures or displays of food in the windows and the building it is housed in looked quite deserted. There is no evidence of gang activity in SC and one of the officers mentioned that the most common crimes that are addressed include Bicycle theft, property damage, shoplifting, and drunk and disorderly conduct. EMS response times to emergencies are also only 10 to 15 minutes in SC. The one safety issue that was noted was a growing presence of homeless residents with drug issues. There is a small amount of drug use, but this is something that SC government officials should watch (Healthcare Learning Innovations, 2019).

Windshield Survey

SC is a beautiful sitting with many signs of a peaceful life and residents that take pride in their surroundings. The most noticeable area is the Sentinel City Healthcare System. It consists of a large hospital with a dentist across the street. SC also has a health clinic and community center that offers many resources for residents. For example, the community center offers classes to residents, supportive services, and even AA classes and other rehabilitation opportunities. The school in SC is a nice building with a wonderful playground sitting next to it. During the simulation, there were children playing and being appropriately supervised. The heart of SC appears to be Interfaith Church as it offers so many diverse services for residents. Additionally, the church works tirelessly to help provide food and shelter for the homeless community. SC has a large grocery store, Joe’s, that is easily accessible. Most residents get around using personal vehicles, walking, or public transportation. A beautiful daycare was also present in SC. ABC Daycare was nicely decorated and in a well-maintained area. It was also refreshing to see residents peacefully protesting outside of city hall regarding their perceptions of tax inconsistencies. Besides the obvious trash outside of the Acer Tech building, there were residents picking up trash in the park. There were no obvious signs of drug use, crime, or unkempt homes. Although the area does have an issue with an increase in homelessness, that was not evidently obvious through physical observation (Health Innovation Learning, 2019).

Population Health Scavenger Hunt

SC offers many services to their residents to promote health and social interactions. The Parks and Recreation department offers a tennis court, basketball court, and open grass area for picnics and family fun. The healthcare system offers various elderly services to help elderly residents find housing, food, healthcare services, and transportation. City Hall can help residents with legislative issues, and it is a place where residents can get in contact with mayor and director of health to discuss their grievances. The soup kitchen offers meals and foods to the growing homeless population as well as residents that aren’t able to feed their families. There is also a nicely kept affordable housing project where residents living at or below the poverty line can find a decent home (Health Innovation Learning, 2019).

Epidemiology and Health Determinants

Although SC is a beautiful city, there are some health concerns that will need to be addressed in the immediate future. To begin, SC has a large elderly population, so it has a greater risk of needing to address the health concerns associated with a larger elderly population. One such health concern is proper nutrition as more elderly live on a fixed income and are more likely to neglect their food intake. Additionally, caregiver services or senior living communities might be beneficial to help these residents age with grace. Another health concern is the number of homeless residents and their lack of insurance. Too many uninsured residents can increase healthcare costs if a feasible solution isn’t identified. It was also noted that SC needs to update its public transportation system with accessible vehicles. This is a potential area for a discrimination lawsuit as residents shouldn’t be limited in their movements due to SC not being appropriately accessible.

Community Diagnosis

Healthy People 2020 Health Problems

The three health concerns identified in SC are all related to Healthy People 2020 goals. SC was identified as having a larger elderly population. HP 2020 has determined a goal/objective to improve the health and well-being of older adults (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2018). SC was identified as not being accessible for residents with physical disabilities. HP 2020 has determined a goal/objective to improve the health and well-being in people with disabilities (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2018). SC was also identified as having a significant homeless population. HP 2020 has determined a goal/objective to promote healthy and safe home environments (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2018).

Addressing the Homeless Problem

SC has a growing population of homeless residents and teens that needs to be addressed. There are two resources that can address this issue. The first resource option is to create an outreach program to locate and identify an accurate account of every homeless resident. The second resource option is to develop a health insurance initiative for uninsured residents and promote the need for health assessments and the establishment of a primary care provider.

Approved Activities

The primary prevention topic I have chosen is access to health services. This topic was selected as it related to the resources identified in the previous section.

Conclusion

This simulation providing great insight into strategies and tools I can use to assess my own community. The most important thing that I learned is that physical observations do not tell the entire story of a community. Just because an area is nice does not mean that it is without fault. I learned that when conducting a community assessment, it is important to speak with the residents of the area to provide subsidence regarding the issues a community is facing. I learned that healthcare workers also provide valuable information and can help identify pertinent health needs. Moving forward, I will be thorough when conducting a community assessment by making physical observations in addition to interviewing several members.

References

Healthcare Learning Innovations (Sentinel City) [Computer Software]. (2019). Aurora, CO.

Retrieved from http://wgu.ucertify.com/

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2018). Disability and Health. Retrieved

from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/disability-and-health/objectives.