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About
The Center for Communication Programs (CCP) uses communication to save lives, improve health, and enhance well-being. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — the oldest and highest ranked school of public health in the United States — established CCP in 1988 to focus attention on the central role communication plays in health behavior change. With a staff of approximately 450, CCP is active in more than 30 countries worldwide as well as in Baltimore . MAKING A DIFFERENCE CCP consistently receives high marks for excellence. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) noted in a final review of CCP's longest running project that CCP “contributed not only to lasting, beneficial changes in health-related behaviors around the world, but also to significant advances in the science and practice of development communication.” CCP programs make a difference. Studies provide solid evidence that its communication programs produce significant, measurable changes in knowledge, attitudes, and practice. CCP researchers consistently demonstrate the impact of its programs by publishing results in some of the world's best peer-reviewed journals, with 56 journal articles and 18 books or book chapters published in just the past five years . STRATEGIC HEALTH COMMUNICATION Health communication is key to combating the world's major public health problems. CCP recognizes that an individual's health can be affected by the socio-political environment, the health service delivery system, community networks, spouses and other family members, and individual behavior. Its largest project — the USAID-supported Health Communication Partnership (HCP) — works across these levels as it addresses a wide spectrum of health issues, including HIV/AIDS, safe motherhood, child survival, reproductive health, infectious diseases as well as related areas such as environment, clean water, community participation, and democracy and governance. CCP is known throughout the world for its evidence-based communication programs that produce results. Often these programs use an integrated, comprehensive approach that combines mass media, community mobilization, interpersonal communication, and capacity building. In addition to USAID, CCP works with a wide range of donors including UN agencies, private foundations, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations. PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS CCP relies on literally hundreds of partners — ranging from small faith-based community groups working in developing countries to multinational corporations — to successfully implement its programs and activities. With these partners, CCP designs and implements strategic communication programs that influence political dialogue, collective action, and individual behavior. CCP also collaborates with other organizations to enhance access to information and the exchange of knowledge to improve health and health care and it conducts research that guides program design, evaluates impact, tests theories, and advances the fields of health communication. A LEARNING CENTER CCP works closely with its colleagues at the Bloomberg School of Public Health to stay on top of the latest studies and scientific data so that its field programs are based on evidence. CCP is a learning institution committed to sharing its expertise. Hundreds of health professionals from developing countries have traveled to Baltimore to participate in CCP's state-of-the-art, tuition-based, training courses, while CCP also trains thousands of professionals in the field. In keeping with its commitment to learning and sharing, CCP houses the world's largest collection of health communication materials on topics such as HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, infectious disease, and child survival. MANAGING AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE Knowledge management is a growing part of CCP's portfolio. Its USAID-supported Information and Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) project collects, synthesizes, and disseminates knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned in family planning and reproductive health. INFO also produces and disseminates many of the field's most respected, useful, and authoritative publications and information services. The Center for Communication Programs provides leadership in the field of strategic, evidence-based communication programs for behavior change to save lives, improve health, and enhance well-being .
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