The Pima County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 16 accepted a one-year, $762,865 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intended to reduce chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The conditions are prevalent among the County's most at-risk populations, including Native American and Hispanic children and their families.
The CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program will strengthen the Pima County Health Department partnerships with schools and community organizations to reduce tobacco use, promote physical activity, and increase access to healthy foods. The effort will focus on school-aged children and their families through school systems.
“The Health Department and our partners at the University of Arizona Native American Research and Training Center and Mexican American Studies Department have a track record of collaborating with communities and their schools to address health disparity issues, Pima County Health Department Director Marcy Flanagan said. “It’s extremely important that we include culturally relevant messages for families and schools are one of the best venues to ensure those messages are delivered.”
The program includes developing a multi-media campaign addressing nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco avoidance. Other efforts include education and outreach to prevent tobacco sales to minors and incentive programs and support for nutritious menu options.
This is the first of a five-year funding opportunity that is expected to bring almost $4.4 million in new resources to the community.