Saturday, April 20, 2024
4/20/2024
REACH for the STARS is a community-based project led by the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) in a region of western Wayne County, Michigan, comprised of innovative partnerships that seek to reduce health inequities and strengthen prevention and health assets in in underserved African American and Hispanic populations. Given the concentrated ethnic and racial diversity in the target area, the prevalence of related health disabilities is higher than the rest of the state. The population of highest priority will be those with disproportionate risk of chronic diseases, and who experience racial/ethnic or socioeconomic disparities, including inadequate access to care, elderly or individuals living with disabilities, and/or low income. While this approach will have a high impact on the priority population subgroup, it is anticipated that it will also improve the overall quality of life and health outcomes of all individuals living and working within the three contiguous communities. The project plan will build on strong collaborations with a wide array of diverse, multi-sector partners, including service providers and subject matter experts, to address social conditions that impact health outcomes. NKFM will convene an Advisory Committee to oversee project objectives and provide input in the areas of public policy, healthcare, marketing, and skills training. Community partners will work closely with existing coalitions in each city, where community stakeholders will help define, culturally tailor, and achieve transformative changes. The planned intervention is aimed at focusing action on changes in the built environment and public policy along with social marketing and community integrated evidence-based programs. More than a decade of experience and success in working with community coalitions in addressing issues relating to health disparities increases the likelihood for affecting community-level change. The project leadership expe rtise in community organizing around population health issues, leveraging resources, environmental change efforts, evaluation and sound financial management. This opportunity will mobilize all partners? strengths to reach those most in need and change the tide of chronic disease in the project region. The overall purpose of the project is to reduce risk of disease and health disparities by affecting policy, systems, and environmental changes to address food insecurity and deficits in built environment, increase breastfeeding support, access to nutritious foods, access to safe places for physical activity, and increased use of health and prevention activities to improve community and clinical linkages. To assure that the interventions are culturally appropriate, the project team will work with the community coalitions as needed to reach the racial and ethnic minority populations. The project team will work closely with the diverse partners to implement activities that are impactful and innovative, including using community health workers, initiation of farmers? markets, training in child/maternal health and Adverse Childhood Experiences, strengthening social networks, and several sustained evidence-based prevention programs including both group and online formats. With a long-term, sustainable vision, the REACH for the STARS initiative will make a healthy investment in improving the lives of those experiencing health disparities on a community level. The expected outcomes include: increased use and reach of strategies to build support for lifestyle change, increased community?clinical linkages that support access to care, improved quality and delivery of clinical and preventive services to manage chronic conditions, increased number of community environments that promote physical activity and healthy eating, increased referrals to and enrollment in evidence-based programs, increased consumption of nutritious food and beverages, a
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).
