Field Placement: California Family Health Council
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Preceptor: Yvonne Boyd
Student Name: Neena Garnepudi
Year: 2003

I had an opportunity to work at California Family Health Council (CFHC) as a Title X intern. CFHC is a non-profit organization working to promote reproductive health among people. My preceptor was Ms.Yvonne Boyd. Ms. Boyd is a specialist in maternal and child health and currently the program manager for the Family PACT program.

I was chosen to work as a Health Education Assistant for the Education Programs Associates division (EPA) of CFHC. EPA is one of the five key divisions of CFHC. EPA is the training and health education division of CFHC. EPA utilizes Title X grants (federal grants) to conduct various trainings such as Family Planning Health Worker Training, Pregnancy Counseling and Sterilization Counseling. EPA also works to promote the Family PACT program which is a statewide family planning program implemented by the Office of Family Planning. EPA is involved in developing quality health education materials for educating families and communities on various health issues. EPA resource center serves as a health education resource for health professionals and general public. Resource Center offers access to an extensive lending library of health education videos, books, curricula and tactile media, customized searches for health education materials and information and free samples of client education written materials developed by EPA.

As a health education assistant I was required to research and evaluate health education materials (reference books, curricula, pamphlets, brochures, journal articles and videos) according to established criteria applying health education theory. I assisted the health educator in responding to phone and mail requests from health professionals for information about appropriate health education resources for their clients. I was involved with evaluating and maintaining Resource Center systems to improve Resource Center function and organization (i.e. periodicals, catalogues, vertical files, databases and lending libraries). I participated in the development of web page for publicizing Resource Center services. I was given an opportunity to represent CFHC’s Volunteer Speakers Bureau and conduct group health education at specific locations. I was entrusted with the responsibility of completing a special project of mutual interest. My project was focused on researching and recommending potential funding streams for the growth and development of EPA and Resource Center. I was involved with reviewing and updating the FPACT technical assistance curriculum designed for on site training of providers and their clinic staff interested in offering FPACT services to their clients. This internship experience gave me the flexibility to explore various areas of public health and contributed tremendously to my growth as a public health professional.

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