Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5/13/2025
Accelerating Cancer Screening - Project Title: Accelerating Equitable access to CRC Screening and Referral to follow-up Care HCP grant number: H80CS00224 Organization Name: Family Health Centers of San Diego, Inc. (FHCSD) Address: 823 Gateway Center Way, San Diego, CA 92102 Project Director: Job G Godino, PhD, Director of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contact Phone Numbers: 619-515-2344 (voice); 619 237-1856 (fax) Email address: jobg@fhcsd.org Website Address: www. Fhcsd.org Funds requested: $500,000 Needs to be addressed: The population of focus lacks access to CRC screening and referral to follow-up care due to access and affordability barriers, barriers in the patient experience, and the need for improved cancer training (workforce development) and screening processes and protocols within the health center. Proposed services: FHCSD will recruit, hire, and train 2 Quality of Care (Q of C) Patient Navigators (PNs), who will draw on organizational QI efforts to improve cancer screening, such as IT enhancements to identify eligible patients; new workflows to incorporate CRC education, screening, and navigation in the clinic setting; and formalized referral network to support diagnostic completion. The Q of C PNs will also work one-on-one with patients, using learned best practices to provide culturally sensitive education, instructions for completing FIT kits, and navigation to overcome barriers including fear, stigma, transportation, scheduling, insurance/financial, etc. FHCSD’s Patient Engagement/Outreach Specialists (PE/OS) at three target clinics will also engage community members in CRC education, providing a warm hand-off to FHCSD Q of C PNs for screening and referrals to follow-up care if necessary. Population groups to be served: The proposed project will serve new and existing Community Health Center patients including special populations (PHPC, HCH), with a targeted focus on increasing equitable access to CRC screening and follow up for Latinx, Black, and homel ess populations which experience disparities in CRC incidence/prevalence, mortality, and screening rates. In San Diego County, Blacks have the highest CRC incidence rates at 36.2% compared to 32.0% for Whites and 28.8% for Latinx. Blacks also have the highest mortality rates among those ages 65 and older (69.47%) compared to 69.08% for Whites and 40.87% for Latinx. Both California and San Diego trail behind US screening rates, which, based on these disparities, disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minorities and persons experiencing homelessness. Increase access and address barriers to cancer screening and referral to care and treatment: By December 31, 2023, FHCSD will increase the number of patients screened for CRC by 3,513, representing a 5% increase in our CRC screening rate from 40.83% to 45.83%. In addition, we will increase the number of patients assisted with accessing appropriate follow-up care within 30 days of receiving an abnormal CRC test by 476 patients, up from a baseline of zero. Proposed partnerships: FHCSD will partner with NCI-designated Cancer Center Moores Cancer Center (MCC) at University of California San Diego (UCSD) Health and its Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS). In addition, the project will be supported by Sharp Grossmont Hospital and PATH.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).