Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program - Organization Name: North Country HealthCare (NCHC) Address: 2920 N. Fourth Street, Flagstaff, Arizona 86004 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), Community Health Centers, 501(c)(3) nonprofit or hospital-owned Rural Health Clinics Website: www.northcountryhealthcare.org Project Name, Title: Tenillya Cody, Program Manager Phone number, email: 928-522-9430, tcody@nchcaz.org Proposed service area: Northern Arizona, Cities: Bullhead City, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Holbrook, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Payson, Round Valley, Show Low, Williams, and Winslow. Counties: Apache, Coconino, Gila, north Mohave, Navajo, and Yavapai. • Briefly describe the population you will serve. The population North Country HealthCare (NCHC) RESEP will serve consists of individuals who have been exposed to radiation resulting from nuclear arms testing, as well as uranium mining, transport, and processing in northern Arizona. Northern Arizona consists of six counties and borders twelve Tribal lands. It is largely rural and sparsely populated, with significant travel time between communities. The six downwind counties include Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai counties, and an area of Mohave County north of the Grand Canyon. Together, these areas comprise approximately 52,700 square miles (2020 U.S. Census Data). A large portion of NCHC’s target population consists of tribal members from the twelve Native American reservations in northern Arizona. Many of the elderly tribal members are eligible for the RESEP services since many were born on and remain on the reservation. The Tribal elders of northern Arizona estimated 98,144 eligible Downwinders in the service area. Moreover, the Navajo reservation had an active uranium industry, mining, and milling during the Cold War era. An article in the American Journal of Public Health from 2002 estimates that more than 1,000 abandoned uranium mine shafts lay within the Navajo reservation. The article also estimates the number of uranium workers at around 10,000 country-wide, a quarter of whom were Navajo. This means approximately 2,500 Navajo uranium workers. (Doug Brugge, 2002) As of May 19, 2024, the Department of Justice has approved 6,981 uranium miners, 1,948 uranium millers, and 420 ore transporters, totaling 9,349 approved uranium workers. NCHC RESEP stands ready to support the Downwind community in northern Arizona, specifically aiding retired uranium industry workers and ore transporters. With an estimated Downwinder population of 98,144 individuals, 1,608 uranium industry workers, and an unknown number of retired uranium ore transporter numbers, there is a need to ensure this population is aware of the resources and assistance RESEP can provide. • Describe your project. Clearly identify and describe your organization’s proposed project goals, and objectives, as it relates to community needs. North Country HealthCare’s (NCHC) Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) will provide RESEP services to a vast population throughout northern Arizona. NCHC will provide high-quality, comprehensive services, including verifying the eligibility of participants and providing medical and depression screening exams. NCHC will also provide diagnostic testing, medical follow-ups, and referrals as indicated by the RESEP providers. Outreach services and education regarding radiogenic cancers and other radiogenic diseases will be provided to the general population in these areas. Proposed goals include completing 200-230 screenings annually and providing information and resources to 400 potential participants via several different mediums. This work will be completed in collaboration with our medical providers, community partners, and through leveraging resources across the service area. • Select one of the following options to describe how you learned about this funding opportunity. North Country HealthCare learned about this funding opportunity from the HRSA project officer.
