Delta State Rural Development Network Grant Program (DELTA) - DELTA SERVICE REGION: Mississippi Service Region B including all 21 designated counties and the optional 22nd county - Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Covington, Franklin, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pike, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Walthall, Warren, Wilkinson, and Yazoo. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center, Inc. (JCHC), a federally qualified health center (FQHC), provides high-quality primary health care to residents of Jefferson and Adams counties, Mississippi. Since 2007, JCHC has served as lead applicant for the MS Strategic Health Information Network Expansion (SHINE) Project, a community-based health networking effort governed by a Consortium that engages health and social service agencies to provide direct health education and screening services to more than 82,620 individuals annually. In addition to JCHC, Consortium partners include Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, Inc. (SEMRHI), an FQHC; Claiborne County Family Health Center (CCFHC), an FQHC; GA Carmichael Family Health Center (GACFHC), an FQHC; and the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi (CHCAMS), the state’s primary care association. Each partner will lead community-based health networks covering the 22-county region, including the SEMRHI Health Network, PLMW Health Network, Southwest MS Health Network, South Central Health Network, and HISY Health Network. For this Delta States proposal, JCHC requests $1,188,684 in each of Years 1-3 to improve access to health services across the region. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED: Data from the service area emphasize the need for comprehensive primary and preventive health services that are accessible for underserved populations. In the service area, 47.0% of residents live with incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG), and more than three-quarters (76.1%) live in rural areas (Census 2020, Census Bureau, 2023). The population to provider ratio demonstrates a severe shortage of primary care providers, presenting a significant barrier to care. Residents experience widespread health disparities related to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, prevalence of smoking, obesity (adult and child), and physical inactivity (SparkMap, University of Missouri Extension, 2026; PLACES, CDC, 2022; US BRFSS, CDC, 2023; National Survey of Children’s Health, 2022-2023). PROPOSED SERVICES: The purpose of the MS SHINE Project is to promote health and wellness in Southwest Mississippi (Service Region B) by identifying and responding to regional health issues with coordinated, integrated, sustainable approaches. Over the past 19 years, the networks have collaborated to achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services and associated health outcomes; spread the use of evidence-based practices to improve cardiovascular disease and diabetes outcomes regionwide; and strengthen the rural health care system in the region as a whole. Proposed staffing to support the project includes 1.0 FTE Project Director, 1.0 FTE Project Coordinator, and 5.0 FTE subcontracted Community Health Workers to carry out activities across the five networks. Evidence-based and promising practices will include the Body and Soul Program, 5210 Program, Barbershop-Based Intervention, Community Health Worker Model, Patient Centered Medical Home Model, Accountable Care Organization, and the Diabetes Empowerment Education Program. This proposal also qualifies for a funding preference. Each service area county contains a Medically Underserved Area designation. POPULATION GROUPS SERVED: JCHC prioritizes services to medically underserved populations in the service area. This includes patients living with incomes at or below 200% FPG. In the coming project period, project partners have chosen the focus areas of CVD and diabetes.
