President’s Message

President - Jessica Strong

While our country is still struggling to come out of the recession, many of our budgets are feeling the pinch. Several organizations have cut services and programming. Though we can’t always control the budgets that fund our programs, there are things we can do to maximize their effectiveness. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood that our evidence-based program will continue to receive needed funding. One thing we can do to improve the efficacy of our programs is to base them on theory.

Remember that class you took back in college where you learned about the Health Belief Model and Stages of Change? Those, and other theories, provide a scientifically measured base for behavior change. They help to explain human behavior and how to change it. Theory reminds us that human behavior is influenced by many factors.

Effective programming provides a multi-faceted approach to address those factors. Using the constructs of theory as a program base will increase the likelihood of program success. Program success will increase the odds of future funding and our ultimate goal, improving the health of our clients.

Jessica Strong
HEAU President