| Abstract: | This paper describes how community participation came to playa central role in developing the Wellness Guide Project, a majornew health promotion initiative of the State of California.The Guide itself was to be a simple document that would giveinformation on how to stay well and where to find help on health-relatedtopics. It was to be sensitive to the needs of people of allethnic and social backgrounds, and suitable for distributionto all households in the State (10 million). The metamorphosisof the Guide is described, from early drafts, prepared by healthand welfare specialists and covering traditional behavioralrisk factors, to the final product, a large-format, illustrated80-page book, written with diverse community involvement, andaddressing a wide range of personal and social topics. Telephonecompanies and information and referral services participatedin developing a cross-referral system from the Guide to new‘Community Services’ listings in phone directoriesthroughout the State. The community also participated in preparinga Spanish adaptation of the Guide. The project outcomes—aunique health education document, a novel referral system, andthe beginnings of a new model for community participation inhealth promotion—are discussed. |
