Category Archives: REACH

REACH: Minority Health Month

April is National Minority Health Month. This year’s theme is “Better Health Through Better Understanding,” which highlights how improving communication can help us advance health equity for racial and ethnic minorities.

The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program, a CDC-funded initiative managed by the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program, works to reduce racial health disparities by addressing several of the risk factors associated with chronic disease in our Black communities. A diverse coalition of partners are working together to ensure access to healthy food, safe outdoor spaces, and health care.

Here are some examples of the work supported through the REACH project:

  • Safer, healthier conditions. Through municipal partnerships, traffic calming, and safety solutions are being put in place to make it safer and easier for people to walk or bike to their destinations. School lunch guidelines are being evaluated to make meals healthier and more connected to local farms.
  • Nutrition support starting at birth. Breastfeeding offers health benefits for babies and moms. Breastfeeding circles breastfeeding 101 classes, and 24-hour-on-call Latch Line helps more Black families start and continue nursing.
  • Increase in healthy behaviors. REACH has helped Black residents get screened, keep their doctor’s appointments, and eat healthier foods to reach goals of achieving healthier weights, improving blood pressure, and lowering blood sugar.

The REACH Coalition recently released a video that highlights the successes of the past grant year, you can learn more on the REACH page.

Covid-19 Vaccination Clinics

The Allegheny County Health Department has teamed up with local and national partners to address disparities in African-American communities. The REACH program, a CDC-funded initiative, aims to achieve health equity and prevent chronic disease. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the coalition’s work has expanded to include not only health screenings but also vaccination clinics. 

 

Many social, geographic, political, economic, and environmental factors can create challenges to vaccination access. According to the CDC, people from racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by a lack of access to quality health care or health insurance. Because of these challenges, some people are less likely to be vaccinated. 

Since Black and Brown people are diagnosed and dying at higher rates than their white counterparts, and getting vaccinated at lower rates, the coalition hopes to achieve health equity in targeted areas throughout the Pittsburgh area. Vaccination clinics in Black communities are vital and essential to overall health and wellness.  

H3C, Trinity Temple Church of God in Christ, Just Harvest, and Allegheny County Health Department will hold a clinic on Wednesday, November 17 from 2-6 p.m. In addition to COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, annual influenza vaccines and shingles vaccines will be administered.  The first 20 registered appointments will receive a $25 Giant Eagle gift card, amongst other gifts.  The clinic is located at the Hamilton House, 7403 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Call 412-376-7118 to schedule an appointment or transportation.  

#REACH4Allegheny Wednesdays!

#REACH4Allegheny

The Allegheny County Health Department is teaming up with local and national partners to address disparities in African-American communities. The REACH program, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -funded initiative, aims to achieve health equity and prevent chronic disease.

In order to spread awareness, #REACH4Allegheny Wednesdays have been created to spotlight REACH partner organizations.

See below for a brief spotlight on two REACH partners:

Youth Opportunities Unlimited is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth through education and mentoring. They offer after-school, in-school and summer programming to focus on academic and behavioral improvement. They received a small grant from the REACH Initiative and are teaching children about different cultures.

As part of the program, kids learn about a culture and then eat and cook a meal associated with that culture. For instance, they cooked a Chinese meal that consisted of lo mein with chicken and shrimp fried rice with bubble tea. Students also learned about Jamaica’s history and culture and enjoyed a Jamaican dinner courtesy of 2 Sisters 2 Sons restaurant in Sharpsburg. The youth later prepared jerk chicken, “Rasta Pasta,” steamed cabbage, rice and peas, fried plantains and Jamaican rum cake.

Follow them on Facebook to catch up on all their activities –> YouthOppor Development | Facebook.

Allen Place Community Services offers virtual fitness classes, including the “Dance and Be Fit” program led by the king of line dancing, Roland Ford. Founder and Retired Nurse Jerry Allen is committed to providing health and wellness programs for older residents on the Northside and beyond. The organization also offers a weekly Bible study for your spiritual health via Zoom. Check out their website for more information: https://www.allenplacepgh.org

#LiveWellAllegheny

#REACH4Allegheny

Health Screenings & Flu Shot Clinics

No-cost flu shots and screenings for chronic diseases, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

 OCTOBER TIME LOCATION
7th 3-5 PM Propel Hazelwood Charter School
8th 5-8 PM Caliguiri Plaza (Allentown)
13th 5-8 PM Gualtieri Manor (Beechview)
14th 3-4 PM Propel Hazelwood Charter School
5-8 PM Frank Mazza Pavilion (Brookline)
15th 5-8 PM Carrick Regency (Carrick)
18th 2-4 PM Hazelwood Below the Tracks (5007 Lytle Street)
20th 5-8 PM Morse Gardens (Southside)
21st 2-4 PM Finello Pavilion (Oakland)
22nd 5-8 PM Murray Towers (Squirrel Hill)
24th 10 AM-2 PM SOKO Community Market (Hill District)

For more information, call or text the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy at 412-342-8276

(Download this page as a PDF)

National Minority Health Month

April is National Minority Health Month! The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is teaming up with the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) to launch the Move Your Way campaign. For the second consecutive year, the theme is Active and Healthy.

This month, the observance looks a lot different than past promotions as our nation navigates a global pandemic. We are advised to self-quarantine, and the phrase social distancing is now a household name. Students are studying with screens, and adults are juggling families and work from home, here in Allegheny County and across the country. All of these factors increase anxiety and stress and decrease opportunities for physical activities. Live Well Allegheny and the REACH initiative wants to keep families safe and healthy during this time. So this April, we are highlighting how you can stay active even if you stay at home.

We are joined by local and national partners working together to improve health outcomes and highlight the benefits of incorporating small amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity into our schedules as recommended by the 2nd edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Simple changes to one’s daily routine can transform lives and reduce the risk of chronic diseases and other conditions that often are more common or severe among racial and ethnic minority groups.

Although there are behavior changes that we can do to improve personal and community health outcomes, there are also system changes that must take place to truly bring about equity to ensure that you have a quality life no matter what zip code you reside in. That you have access to healthcare, hospitals, grocery stores, farmers’ markets and transportation. The first step is calling out the inequities occurring and recommending solutions to the problem.

Recently, the Allegheny County Health Department and the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health worked to do just that and issued a series of equity briefs to bring attention to inequities and disparities related to five focus areas, including chronic disease. They looked at how race, education and income influence one’s health and access to information and services. This month, we’re promoting the problem and seeking solutions.

Gyms like Freedom Fitness Facility may be closed to the public, but they are open online. Owner Charles Cook is churning out a home fitness series on his Facebook Page. You can get active with regular workouts. The videos are approximately 12-15 minutes long and use lightweight dumbbells or exercise bands, however, most sessions do not require equipment.

REACH partners are getting in on the online action! Robert Boatright of Grind Hard Training produced a Quarantine Workout series on YouTube and is providing live workouts, including spin classes and family fitness, via Zoom.

The Be Healthy and Smart Initiative (BHS) created by Pittsburgh Obama Academy PTSA is taking steps to help Obama students and the community get fit and healthy. The Facebook Page features self-quarantine yoga workouts and hip hop classes.
You can also download popular apps, such as Sworkit, which was co-founded by Black Enterprise’s 2015 Techpreneur Ben Young. Sworkit provides customized 5-60 minute strength, pilates and stretching workouts that require no equipment. Another app geared at the African-American community is GrpFit. The app offers customized workouts, on-demand classes, and a fitness community for people of color.

#REACH4Allegheny: Coronavirus & Food Access

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing families to stockpile supplies. But what happens when you don’t have access to healthy foods during the statewide stay-at-home orders? The Allegheny County Health Department and the REACH initiative, a coalition working to eliminate health inequities and reduce chronic disease in African-American communities, is working to address this concern.

Last year, REACH, a CDC funded initiative, began to devise a nutrition strategy through partnerships with Allegheny County’s Health and Economic Development Departments, The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, UPMC, The Food Trust, Just Harvest, Healthy Start and the Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle. Although the work was unrelated to the current crisis, the partners began to lay the groundwork for feeding more families and residents experiencing food insecurity. Here are some of the activities happening amongst REACH partners.

The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council 

The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council is sharing key resources for people, non-profits, businesses across the food system. Click here to get connected or visit their Facebook page for additional updates. The Facebook page links to a searchable map of food resources available, including school grab and go sites and food pantries.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank continues to monitor the development of COVID-19 and take proactive steps to protect the community. Due to the logistics and observation of social distancing regulations, those in need of food can rely on the large network of food pantries. Find a pantry in your neighborhood at pittsburghfoodbank.org/get-help/locator/. You can stay up to date with announcements like new distributions or deliveries by following the Food Bank on Facebook.

Just Harvest 

Just Harvest is issuing a call to action to the public to urge state officials to swiftly adopt key measures to protect working families and other vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can sign the petition and read about other activations on their website. Just Harvest is also reacting to the pandemic on Facebook with a Covid-19 Response Phonebank.

Food Preparation Tips

If you are supplementing donation supplies with trips to the grocery store, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends only purchasing a one week supply.  The guidelines take into consideration that even when freight flow is not interrupted, grocery stores need time to restock. Residents can assess what they already have in stock and check expiration dates. Prepare a shopping list, which includes staples and produce with longer shelf life, like potatoes, onions and citrus fruit. Also, consider salt alternatives, such as dried herbs or spices, to watch your sodium intake on a diet based on shelf-stable, nonperishable foods.  REACH partners are committed to helping people maintain a healthy lifestyle during these uncertain times.

 

#REACH4Allegheny: REACH Initiative Launches in Allegheny County

The Allegheny County Health Department is teaming up with local and national partners to address disparities in African-American communities. The REACH program, a CDC-funded initiative, aims to achieve health equity and prevent chronic diseases in the East End (East Hills, Garfield, Homewood, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Wilkinsburg), Hill District, Mon Valley (Clairton, North Versailles, Duquesne, McKeesport, North Braddock, Rankin) and the Northside. Through a diverse coalition, more than 25 partners will increase access to healthy foods and physical activities. Partners will also provide breastfeeding supports.

In addition to individual behavioral changes that improve personal and community health outcomes, there are also changes that must take place within systems, such as healthcare, grocery stores, farmers’ markets and transportation, to truly bring about equity and ensure that residents live well, regardless of their zip codes or race.

The REACH coalition has examined various local inequities, related to nutrition, physical activity, and access to care. Over the next five years, the coalition will focus efforts on healthy food policies; new or improved pedestrian, bike and transit routes; and, a pharmacist navigation and referral program.

Evaluator and Technical Consultant:

  • University of Pittsburgh

Partners:

  • Allegheny County Economic Development Department
  • Duquesne University School of Pharmacy
  • Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
  • Healthy Start, Inc.
  • Just Harvest
  • Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle
  • Pittsburgh Food Policy Council
  • Healthy Start
  • The Food Trust
  • YMCA
  • UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
  • + Dozens of Community Partners

Nutrition

REACH coalition members will work to increase the number of places offering healthier food in African-American communities through helping small businesses and corner stores buy healthy foods, creating nutrition guidelines for key organizations, increasing EBT/SNAP access at Farmers’ Markets and Farm Stands; and increasing breastfeeding support.

 

Physical Activity

The REACH coalition will increase access to opportunities for physical activity for African-American residents of all ages. Plus the coalition will work to make communities more walking and biking friendly.

Community-Clinical LInkages

The REACH project is expanding the use of pharmacist navigators to increase referrals to, and access to community-based health programs. Community residents may participate in health screenings and preventive care programs offered by the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy and the YMCA, all at no cost. Additionally, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is educating healthcare providers on food insecurity.

The REACH initiative bridges the gap between government, schools, churches, nonprofits and community members. The ultimate goal is to invest resources and programming into African-Americans neighborhoods, to promote optimal health and living well. 

Each month, we will share information on Live Well Allegheny, including tips, recipes, resources, free events and more.