Member Blog
Members of the Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership are invited to share their experiences and/or expertise within adolescent health. The views expressed in this blog section are exclusively those of the author.
Members of the Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership are invited to share their experiences and/or expertise within adolescent health. The views expressed in this blog section are exclusively those of the author.
Building a Better Network: Teachers and Social Workers and the FBI… Oh My!
By Melissa Lanier, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
As many of my peers and colleagues may know, I like to talk, I like to network, and I love puzzles. My innate gift of gab has gotten me into a great position to meet people that work with and for children/youth in my community! My love for puzzles has given me a unique perspective to see how everyone can fit or piece together their work at a macro level. That being said, once I start chatting, I have to do something with all of these great connections, but what? How? I’m no expert in any of these topics! Eeeek!
I realized, “Wait, I don’t need to be an expert when I know so many others who are - they just don’t necessarily know each other!” One of public health’s biggest gaps isn’t that there is a lack of programing, but rather a lack of knowing who or what is available, or who are all of the referral partners! If we can get some of these folks together, folks that may not typically interact, and give them structured interactive and networking opportunities - maybe some of these gaps can start to close naturally. I hosted a few Childhood Wellness Symposiums and invited all of the professionals I knew and asked them to invite their connections as well. Between symposiums, we continued the conversations via monthly emails with partner highlights, updates, and various professional opportunities. Viola, a network was built.
In the time since hosting the first symposium in October of 2022, we have had about five different interdisciplinary partnerships start up, including a task force focusing on School Safety. This partnership has helped to foster many non-traditional connections from teachers, social workers, law enforcement and first responders (including the FBI), along with those that work in health, physical activity, nutrition, and many others.
My suggestion for other communities that are looking to find ways to increase collaboration, is to first find your own strengths and build upon those, and secondly provide opportunities for dedicated time and space to just talk and network! Everyone is always in a rush and it’s rare to have time to have a full meaningful conversation with someone with similar interests but of a different discipline and perspective. So let’s get networking!
(Melissa is the Childhood & Youth Wellness Manager at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department and has been a member of the Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership since June of 2022.)
Published June 2024
By Melissa Lanier, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
As many of my peers and colleagues may know, I like to talk, I like to network, and I love puzzles. My innate gift of gab has gotten me into a great position to meet people that work with and for children/youth in my community! My love for puzzles has given me a unique perspective to see how everyone can fit or piece together their work at a macro level. That being said, once I start chatting, I have to do something with all of these great connections, but what? How? I’m no expert in any of these topics! Eeeek!
I realized, “Wait, I don’t need to be an expert when I know so many others who are - they just don’t necessarily know each other!” One of public health’s biggest gaps isn’t that there is a lack of programing, but rather a lack of knowing who or what is available, or who are all of the referral partners! If we can get some of these folks together, folks that may not typically interact, and give them structured interactive and networking opportunities - maybe some of these gaps can start to close naturally. I hosted a few Childhood Wellness Symposiums and invited all of the professionals I knew and asked them to invite their connections as well. Between symposiums, we continued the conversations via monthly emails with partner highlights, updates, and various professional opportunities. Viola, a network was built.
In the time since hosting the first symposium in October of 2022, we have had about five different interdisciplinary partnerships start up, including a task force focusing on School Safety. This partnership has helped to foster many non-traditional connections from teachers, social workers, law enforcement and first responders (including the FBI), along with those that work in health, physical activity, nutrition, and many others.
My suggestion for other communities that are looking to find ways to increase collaboration, is to first find your own strengths and build upon those, and secondly provide opportunities for dedicated time and space to just talk and network! Everyone is always in a rush and it’s rare to have time to have a full meaningful conversation with someone with similar interests but of a different discipline and perspective. So let’s get networking!
(Melissa is the Childhood & Youth Wellness Manager at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department and has been a member of the Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership since June of 2022.)
Published June 2024
