Press Release

CDC awards funds to communities for projects to help eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $19 million to community coalitions in 15 states to help address racial and ethnic disparities in health in the United States. In addition, the National Institutes of Health contributed $5 million dollars, for a total of $24 million, and has pledged to sustain that level of support for 4 additional years.

"The CDC is committed to eliminating the disparities in health status experienced by racial and ethnic minority populations by the year 2010, while continuing the progress made in improving the overall health of the American people," said CDC Director Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan.

"We are pleased to continue to support community-based programs that are effective in reaching and serving these affected populations."

This is the second year that CDC has awarded the funds as part of its initiative, "Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH 2010)." REACH 2010 is a demonstration project that targets six health priority areas: infant mortality, improving breast and cervical cancer screening and management, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, improving child and/or adult immunization levels, and HIV/AIDS.

A total of 24 community coalitions will receive funding this year to implement the plans they've developed to reduce disparities in a geographically defined minority population. The populations include African American, American Indian, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander. The list of grantees is attached.

REACH 2001 PHASE II FUNDED PROJECTS
GRANTEE NAME	STATE	HEALTH PRIORITY	RACE/ETHNICITY
Access Community Health Network	IL	Breast & Cervical Cancer	AfA, HA
Boston Public Health Commission	MA	Breast & Cervical Cancer	AfA
Carolinas Health Care System	NC	Cardiovascular Disease/Diabetes	AfA
Ctr for Community Health Education	MA	HIV/AIDS	AfA
Chicago Dept. of Health	IL	Diabetes, CVD	AfA, HA
Community Health Councils of LA	CA	Cardiovascular Disease/Diabetes	AfA
Community Health & Social Svcs.	MI	Diabetes	AfA, HA
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians	NC	Diabetes	AI
Florida International University	FL	HIV/AIDS	AfA, HA
Fulton Co. Dept. of Health & Wellness	GA	Cardiovascular Disease	AfA
Genessee County Health Dept.	MI	Infant Mortality	AfA
Greater Lawrence Family Health	MA	Diabetes/CVD	HA
Harbor-UCLA Research & Education Institute	CA	Immunization	AfA, HA
Institute for Urban Family Health	NY	Diabetes, CVD	AfA, HA
Lowell Community Health Center	MA	Cardiovascular Disease	AsA
Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health	TN	Cardiovascular Disease/Diabetes	AfA
Medical University of SC	SC	Diabetes	AfA
Migrant Health Promotion	TX	Diabetes	HA
National Black Women's Health Project	LA	Cardiovascular Disease	AfA
Oklahoma State Dept. of Health	OK	Diabetes/CVD	AI
Seattle-King County Dept. of Public Health	WA	Diabetes	AfA, HA, AsA, PI
Trustees of Columbia University	NY	Immunization	AfA, HA
University of Alabama, Birmingham	AL	Breast & Cervical Cancer	AfA
University of California, San Francisco	CA	Breast & Cervical Cancer	AsA

AfA = African American
AI = American Indian
AsA = Asian American
HA = HispanicAmerican
PI = Pacific Islander

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES