Reflections on the Ounce of Prevention Conference: An Interview with Clara Savage

Clara Savage

Clara Savage, Director of Common Pathways, is a long-time member of the Ounce of Prevention Conference Planning Committee. Her contributions to the conference have made a major impact over the years, especially in the areas of community inclusion, health equity and the connection between health care and public health. Clara, a graduate of the MassForum for Healthy Communities, frequently references and is guided by the Healthy Communities Principles.

How did you get involved in the Ounce of Prevention Conference?

Through Cathy O’Connor and Peter Lee when I attended the MassForum for Creating Healthy Communities about 8 years ago. Based on the Healthy Communities Principles, we all have to come together and learned from each other. With the Ounce of Prevention Conference we have the opportunity to come together and talk about common issues. It’s a great opportunity for anyone interested in public health to learn, get training, hear about lessons learned, and learn about the latest issues.

How has the Ounce of Prevention Conference evolved over the years?

It has evolved because they we are trying to engage a lot of people and respond to their different needs. It’s a tremendous effort to address their needs in a relevant way. The reason I’m still going to the conference is because it’s very good at being relevant to current needs, is responsive to feedback, and is flexible to our needs.

What do you hope participants learn from the Ounce of Prevention Conference this year?

Health care reform -- we can never know too much about it, especially the specifics.  This will be an incredible opportunity to listen to leaders, learn from each other, and hear what others are going through.

At this year’s conference there is also more emphasis on mental health services and how mental health affects other parts of illness, such as chronic disease and physical health.  We need to see the whole package and be more comprehensive in how we promote wellness.

Are there any particular topics you’re excited about discussing at this year’s conference?

In addition to mental health, I’m excited about discussing the economics of health and how to measure making a difference and decreasing costs. We are not trained to do that in public health. It’s a tremendous issue. We have to make the case for people to see how much they have to gain for staying healthy.  It’s a win-win, not only for insurance companies and government, but also for individuals, to show that a healthy and pain-free life is ideal.

Tell me about your work at Common Pathways.

I’m the Director of Common Pathways, which is Community Health Network Area (CHNA) 8. We are focused on Worcester and the nine towns surrounding Worcester.  My job is to coordinate with Worcester Department of Public Health and the hospitals and health centers in the area. We also work in partnership with organizations that focus on transportation, mental health, public health, medical care and social services. We have a good group of partners that includes grassroots organizations, neighborhood groups, and churches in the area. It’s a good mix of people from different groups focusing on different issues.

Through a needs assessment, we defined the priorities to focus on: obesity, mental health, substance abuse, violence, and injury prevention, especially with elders. Other priorities are health equity and health care reform.  One area we are particularly focusing on is wellness, prevention, and management of mental health. In May 2013, we held a Mental Health Summit to make the issue relevant for those working in primary care and public health, and to connect those sectors. 

This interview was conducted by Ounce of Prevention Planning Committee member Bonnie Lipton.