Friday, March 15, 2024
Corewell Health is awarded $3.4 million from the CDC for 5-year community health program.
Corewell Health™ received a $3.4 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support the system’s efforts to improve health, prevent chronic diseases and reduce health disparities, specifically among Indigenous Peoples, Black, African American, Hispanic and Latino individuals and families in Wayne County. The five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant will support programming in communities where health gaps remain.
According to the 2023 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Wayne County ranked as the least healthy of 83 counties in Michigan for both health outcomes as well as health factors such as health behaviors, social and economic factors and physical environment.
“Corewell Health recognizes the profound importance of fostering health equity, reducing disparities and increasing access to high-quality care in every community we touch,” said Alicia Jackson, director of health equity and community health, Corewell Health. “The REACH grant will ignite our efforts in Wayne County and Detroit, enabling us to expand vital community partnerships and increase support for populations with the highest risk of chronic disease.”
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke are among the most common causes of illness, disability and death in the United States. As reported by the CDC, they are also leading drivers of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care costs. These chronic conditions - and the factors that lead to them - are more common or severe for some racial and ethnic groups.
Corewell Health will work with an active, cross-sector network of community partners to address key health disparities and implement proven public health programs related to physical activity, access to nutrition and healthy foods and continuity of care in breastfeeding.
Corewell Health is the only health care system in Michigan to receive the 2023-2028 REACH grant. The CDC REACH grants were awarded to 50 communities across 32 states and the District of Columbia.
“With this funding, organizations will plan and carry out local, culturally appropriate programs to address a wide range of health issues among racial and ethnic minority groups where health gaps remain.” said Terry O’Toole, Ph.D., M.Div., program development and evaluation branch chief in CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “REACH intends to improve health where people live, learn, work and play.”
A complete list of CDC’s REACH recipients and additional information can be found on the REACH website.