Monday, April 29, 2024
4/29/2024
Between 1990 and 2000, the United States gained 11.3 million immigrants, the largest increase this country has ever experienced, a growth rate of 57 percent. An estimated 40 million foreign-born individuals now call the United States home. Scranton, Pennsylvania is 1 of only 9 metropolitan areas across the country that experienced at least a doubling of their foreign-born populations between 2000 and 2010, according to the Brookings Institute. A total of 45.81% of the Hispanics living in Scranton are below the poverty line according to the Census Bureau. Poverty leads to delayed healthcare, with individuals often self-diagnosing and treating their conditions at home. This, of course, results in worsening of health, often requiring expensive emergency care in the high-cost environments of the emergency department and hospital. Through this funding, our community coalition will work to improve the access to high quality nutrition, opportunities for physical activity, and increase the community and clinical linkages that are critical steps in reducing health disparities of the Hispanics in Scranton. The purpose of “Cambiamos- Transforming the Health of Scranton” is to organize and align the health efforts being conducted by individual organizations across the region to create and empower their collective ability and impact. Through this, we will be able to collaboratively show targeted improvements for important health and social outcomes for the Hispanic community in Scranton. With a focus on population-wide solutions to poor nutrition, physical inactivity and linkages at the community health level, we aim to prevent certain behavior-related chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well as empower people to take a leading role in bettering their own health and that of their families. Geisinger, through its Springboard Health program, will facilitate and organize efforts to meet the goals of the grant. Geisinger created Springboard Health in 2016 with the belief that health systems have the responsibility to help make their communities healthier, not just through direct medical care but also through tackling the social determinants of health. The goals we aim to meet by the end of the fifth year include: a minimum of 20 new locations offering healthier foods, a minimum of 12 new breastfeeding support actions, a 7% increase of the number of persons with access to healthy foods, minimum of 10 new or existing places with improved community design by connecting to physical activity, 16% increase from baselines of persons with access to physical activity, and a minimum of 40% of the target population will have at least one new linkage to services/programs through assistance of Community Health Workers. We will partner with an external evaluator, the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development, to complete the grant outcomes, performance plan and data management plan. Geisinger has a long-standing commitment to the health of its community and is uniquely qualified to lead this type of project. Through utilizing the resources available from existing networks, engaging community assets, and coupling them with the inroads that Geisinger is already making with innovative healthcare solutions, Scranton residents who identify as Hispanic could finally be in a place where the healthcare needle is being moved in a positive direction.
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).
