North Central Health District (NCHD) received $1,021,899 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the first year in the five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) cooperative agreement.
The REACH funding will allow NCHD to start the Supporting Health Initiatives & Nurturing Equity (SHINE) Program with the goal of improving health, preventing chronic diseases, and reducing health disparities among the African American population in Baldwin, Hancock and Washington Counties.
“I am excited to work in the communities of Baldwin, Hancock, and Washington counties to address and support the needs of the community through the implementation of the SHINE Program,” said Alicia Wright, SHINE program manager. “This is a big step forward to improving community health.”
Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke are among the most common causes of illness, disability, and death in the United States. They are also leading drivers of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care costs. These chronic conditions are more common or severe for some racial and ethnic groups. NCHD’s SHINE Program will work with partners and local coalitions to enhance existing resources, address health needs, and reduce health disparities in Baldwin, Hancock and Washington Counties.
“We are delighted that NCHD has been awarded funding from CDC’s REACH initiative,” said Cynthia Ward-Edwards, Baldwin County Family Connections executive director.
“This funding represents a significant step forward in our mission to improve the health and well-being of the people in Baldwin County. We are excited to work together with our partners to make a lasting impact on the health and equity of our community.”
As one of the REACH recipients, NCHD will implement these proven public health strategies:
• Promotefoodserviceand nutrition guidelines, expand fruit and vegetable voucher incentives and/or produce prescription programs
• Increasesafeandaccessible physical activity by connecting pedestrian, bicycle, or transit transportation networks to everyday destinations
• Improveearlycareand education (ECE) settings by improving nutrition and physical activity and increasing breastfeeding
• Increaseawareness,confidence, demand, and access to routinely recommended adult vaccines, for racial and ethnic groups experiencing disparities in immunization, including uninsured adults “North Central Health District is proud to be a recipient of CDC’s REACH funding, and we know that the SHINE Program will improve the efforts and reach of public health within each of the three counties served,” said Dr. Thomas Craft, NCHD interim district health director. “All of us are looking forward to seeing the partnerships, projects and impacts of this initiative.
A complete list of CDC’s REACH recipients and additional information can be found on the CDC REACH website. For more information on NCHD’s SHINE Program, or to sign up as a partner with the program, visit NCHD52. org/SHINE.
– Contributed