Thursday, April 10, 2025
4/10/2025
Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program - Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of disability in Minnesota (MN). Since 2005, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has worked with many partners to aggressively expand statewide efforts to address the burden of stroke. Although the foundation of the MN Stroke System of Care is strong and we’ve witnessed improvements in the time-sensitive treatments of acute ischemic stroke, glaring disparities remain in stroke occurrence, mortality, and morbidity burden across the state, more specifically across communities of color and in rural areas. Similar disparities are observed in stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, leading to disproportionate risks for stroke across Minnesotan communities. Current rates of stroke mortality, morbidity, and hypertension; coupled with demographic changes and trends in these health conditions mean that MN has a growing need to: increase identification and control of hypertension, particularly among younger adults, reach populations at risk for stroke with stroke awareness and prevention messaging, and strengthen the post-acute system of stroke care to ensure that stroke survivors have the resources they need to recover and to support life after stroke. It is particularly important that we accomplish these aims in Black, Asian, American Indian, and rural communities and among working-age adults across the state. MDH is committed to reducing the burden of stroke by improving stroke prevention, improving quality of stroke care, and addressing health disparities. We have proposed activities in collaboration with the MN Stroke System of Care Advisory Group & Learning Collaborative and other partners that are tailored to the growing diversity of our state and targeted to communities at highest risk for stroke. This application will build upon the strong foundation, partnerships, and successes of the CDC Paul Coverdell National Stroke Program (PCNSP) in MN and complement the work of the other MDH CDC- funded programs by 1) preventing strokes through hypertension detection and control, 2) improving stroke care through enhanced data collection, and 3) strengthening linkages between clinical and community resources for those at highest risk of stroke. The long-term outcomes for this proposal are improved cardiovascular health and reduced disparities in cardiovascular health. Intermediate outcomes include 1) reduced strokes within partner, health care and community settings, for those at the highest risk of stroke; 2) reduced disparities in strokes within partner, health care and community settings, for those at the highest risk of stroke; 3) increased utilization of social and support services within partner, health care and community settings for those at the highest risk of stroke. Short term outcomes include: 1) increased use of EHR and HIT to identify those who have experienced a stroke and those at the highest risk of stroke due to undiagnosed or uncontrolled hypertension; 2) increased use of standardized procedures to identify, monitor, and assess clinical and social services and support needs, and to provide referrals to those services and assess their utilization through bidirectional referral system; 3) increased use of metrics from EHR/HIT and program data to guide QI activities; and 4) increased monitoring and assessment of statewide data across the stroke continuum of care and within proposed service areas for those who have experienced a stroke and those at the highest risk of stroke due to undiagnosed or uncontrolled hypertension.
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).