Community Health Councils Inc

UNITED FOR HEALTH

PARTNERS FOR HEALTH

RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH US

COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACHES TO REDUCING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (CARS)

PROJECT FIERCE PLUS - IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY (LAC), CA, STD RATES CONTINUE TO RISE AND TO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR, MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS AND CISGENDER WOMEN OF COLOR. ACROSS ALL RACIAL/ETHNIC POPULATIONS, AFRICAN AMERICANS SHOULDER THE GREATEST BURDEN OF STDS. IN LAC, MULTIPLE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDHS) DRIVE THE STD & HIV EPIDEMICS AND FUEL DISPARITIES, INCLUDING STRUCTURAL RACISM, INADEQUATE SCREENING/TESTING, UNEMPLOYMENT, HOMELESSNESS, SUBSTANCE USE, INCARCERATION, AND LACK OF ACCESS TO CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE SDH AND TO IDENTIFY THE BEST WAYS TO ADDRESS THEM, IT IS CRITICAL THAT PREVENTION EFFORTS ARE DRIVEN BY THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY STDS. THIS BELIEF NECESSITATES THAT OUR PROGRAM IS CENTERED ON ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE SDHS, DESIGN INTERVENTIONS THAT BEST ADDRESS THEM, AND LEVERAGE PARTNERS’ CAPACITY AND INFLUENCE TO IMPLEMENT THEM. RISING COMMUNITIES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCILS, INC.), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COACHMAN MOORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. AND CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES, PROPOSES PROJECT FIERCE PLUS (PF+) TO REDUCE STD DISPARITIES AND ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY FOR YOUNG CISGENDER AND TRANS WOMEN OF COLOR IN LAC. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES CENTERED ON AND DRIVEN BY THE PF+ CAB: 1) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS PRIORITIZING YWOC AND INCLUSIVE OF OTHER COMMUNITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY STDS(E.G. YMSM); 2)DEVELOPING STRUCTURAL CHANGE STRATEGIES AND FACILITATING COMMUNITY-CLINICAL LINKAGES; 3)BUILDING AND LEVERAGING THE SUPPORT OF MULTI-SECTORAL PARTNERS TO IMPLEMENT INTERVENTIONS; 4)UTILIZING COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES TO REACH PRIORITIZED COMMUNITIES, AND; 5) ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD BY SHARING LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH EVALUATION AND DISSEMINATION EFFORTS. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DESIGNED IN RESPONSE TO THE SUCCESSES AND LESSONS LEARNED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS OF IMPLE MENTING PROJECT FIERCE, AN EFFORT BORN OUT OF THE LAST FUNDING CYCLE OF THE CARS PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: BY 9/30/24: 1) INCREASE NUMBER OF YWOC CAB MEMBERS WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN AND ARE SATISFIED WITH THE CAB, FROM 5 TO 10; 2) INCREASE NUMBER OF SDH PRIORITIZED BY THE CAB, FROM 3 TO 5; 3) INCREASE NUMBER OF CLINICAL RESOURCES IDENTIFIED FROM 10-15.; 4) INCREASE NUMBER OF EFFECTIVE CAB-DESIGNED STD INTERVENTIONS FOR YWOC, FROM 6 TO 8; 5) INCREASE AWARENESS OF STD DISPARITIES AMONG YWOC/YMSM; 6) INCREASE AWARENESS OF PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUES AFFECTING YWOC/MSM AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES; 7) INCREASE NUMBER OF NEW STABLE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS FROM 6-9; 8) CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE THE PROGRAM, INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES, AND ADVANCE COMMUNITY STD PROGRAMMING. BY 9/30/26, 9) INCREASE LINKAGES WITH & ACCESS TO YWOC, BY AT LEAST 5,000; 10) INCREASE NUMBER OF EXISTING CLINICAL RESOURCES IDENTIFIED BY THE CAB BY AT LEAST 10; 11) INCREASE NUMBER SUSTAINABLE CAB-DESIGNED STD INTERVENTIONS IMPLEMENTED W/ PARTNER RESOURCES AND INFLUENCE BY AT LEAST 6; 12) INCREASE ACCESS TO/USE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCES, STD SCREENING AND SERVICES BY YWOC BY AT LEAST 200; 13) INCREASE ACCESS TO/USE OF EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ADDRESSING NEEDS OF YWOC BY AT LEAST 300; 14) IMPROVED PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION/ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PARTNERSHIPS & INTERVENTIONS. THE ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIP THAT MAKES UP THE PROGRAM TEAM IS UNIQUELY WELL-SUITED TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT FIERCE PLUS. ALL PARTNERS ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO AND SKILLED IN IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS AN ESSENTIAL STRATEGY TO ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY. EACH PARTNER HAS A LONG AND RICH HISTORY OF COLLABORATING WITH MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS VARIOUS SECTORS TO MAXIMIZE REACH AND IMPACT IN PURSUIT OF HEALTH EQUITY. COLLECTIVELY, THE THREE PARTNERS WILL ENSURE THE DESIRED OUTCOMES ARE REACHED AND THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM IS SUSTAINED WELL BEYOND THE 3-YEAR FUNDING CYCLE.

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCILS. THE RECIPIENT WILL PROPOSE TO LAUNCH AN ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN SPEARHEADED BY PROMOTORAS/COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHW LAY HEALTH EDUCATORS), RELATED TO THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS ON BREAST CANCER AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO MOBILIZE AND EDUCATE BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR) WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE ABOUT THE HIDDEN HAZARDS OF POOR AIR, SOIL, AND WATER TO TAKE ACTION IN REDUCING THEIR EXPOSURES. TOXINS IN PERSONAL CARE AND HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS WILL ALSO BE ADDRESSED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ADOPTION OF SAFER, AFFORDABLE, AND REALISTIC CHOICES AND BEHAVIORS WITHIN THEIR FINANCIAL, EMPLOYMENT, AND HOUSING LIMITATIONS. THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000. PRE-AWARD COSTS ARE APPROVED BACK TO APRIL 1, 2024.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE EDUCATION AND COACHING PROMOTORA/CHWS TO TEACH THEIR FRIENDS, FAMILIES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT LOWERING THEIR RISKS FOR BREAST CANCER AND REPRODUCTIVE HARM BY REDUCING EXPOSURE TO TOXINS. PROMOTORAS/CHWS WILL BE SUPPORTED BY PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING, AND TRAINING IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND ADVOCACY WHERE THEY WILL ENGAGE IN, AND/OR LAUNCH, LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS. THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY CATEGORIES INCLUDE 1) CHW/PROMOTORA TRAINING, 2) COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, 3) COMMUNITY DISSEMINATION CONFERENCE, AND 4) PROGRAM AND INTERVENTION EVALUATION AND IS DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER: 1) CHW/PROMOTORA TRAINING: THIS PROGRAM AIMS AT TOXIN EXPOSURE AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY TRAINING AT SEVERAL SCALES, FROM ADJACENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (OIL FIELD) TO MODIFIABLE BEHAVIORS OF HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL AND COSMETICS USAGE. THROUGHOUT THE 3-YEAR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, A MINIMUM OF 75 CHW/PROMOTORAS WILL BE TRAINED TO PROVIDE ONGOING EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY TRAINING SESSIONS. IN ADDITION, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE CULTURALLY PROMISING PRACTICES, SUCH AS USING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS/PROMOTORAS FROM THE SAME CULTURAL BACKGROUND AS THE TARGET POPULATION. 2) COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS: ONCE TRAINED, THE CHW/PROMOTORAS WILL PROVIDE HEALTH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY PRESENTATIONS TO FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND THE COMMUNITY. THE CHW/PROMOTORA PRESENTATIONS WILL OCCUR IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH, DEPENDING ON THE AUDIENCE. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND KITS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED. 3) COMMUNITY DISSEMINATION CONFERENCE: THE PROGRAM WILL CONCLUDE WITH A DISSEMINATION CONFERENCE. THE CONFERENCE WILL AIM TO DISSEMINATE EVALUATION FINDINGS AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ADVOCACY FOR POLICY AND SYSTEM CHANGES AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS AND TOXINS. 4) PROGRAM AND INTERVENTION EVALUATION: IRIS CANTOR-UCLA WOMEN'S HEALTH EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTER (WHERC) WILL LEAD THE PROGRAM AND INTERVENTION EVALUATION, EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THE TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION WILL BE PRESENTED IN A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL THAT UNDERGOES PEER-REVIEW. ADDITIONALLY, POLICY BRIEFS WILL BE PRODUCED PERIODICALLY OVER THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD AS THE DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE (1) AGENDA, MEETING SUMMARY NOTES, AND ATTENDANCE RECORDS FROM ALL PUBLIC OUTREACH ENGAGEMENTS THAT INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO COHORT GATHERINGS, COMMUNITY ADVISORY MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, FOLLOW-UP PRESENTATIONS, AND CONFERENCES; (2) AGENDA, MEETING SUMMARY NOTES, AND ATTENDANCE RECORDS FOR INTERNAL MEETINGS; (3) COPIES OF SURVEYS MADE BOTH PRE- AND POST-TEST WITH SUMMARY NOTES AND LIST OF AUDIENCE; (4) ALL VISUAL AIDS USED SUCH PICTURES, VIDEOS AND DIAGRAMS USED IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS; (5) FINAL VERSION OF DESIGNED CURRICULUM AND EDUCATIONAL KITS AND ASSOCIATED MATERIALS. THE OUTCOMES ARE CREATING COLLECTIVE ACTIONS TARGETING ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHER S

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