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Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Driving Economic Transformation

Danville Health Data Published through City Health Dashboard

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Danville Health Data Published through City Health Dashboard

Danville Health Data Published through City Health Dashboard

Data surrounding 32 measures and drivers of health for the City of Danville are now publicly available on a citywide and census tract level through the City Health Dashboard. This online database showcases dozens of health metrics and drivers on a granular level for just under 1,000 cities across the Country.

This dashboard will allow the Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership – a group focused on systematically improving health drivers and outcomes in the Dan River Region – and other organizations to better assess the current health landscape for the City of Danville.

“We will use the data from the City Health Dashboard to help allocate resources and help improve health outcomes. We now have access to data for dozens of health factors and drivers of health on a census tract level across the City of Danville. This granular and filterable data will allow the REACH Partnership to track trends year over year, target where we need to focus our efforts, and aid in our commitment to improving community health through data integration, alignment of resources, and coordinated communication.” – Dr. Cassandra Shelton, REACH Program Manager

City Health Dashboard Data

The City of Danville was one of 67 selected cities added to the City Health Dashboard as part of the 2023 Put Us On the Map Challenge. The City Health Dashboard shows how cities across the U.S. fare on over 35 health metrics and factors in five areas: Health Behaviors, Social and Economic Factors, Physical Environment, Health Outcomes and Clinical Care. These dashboards paint a clearer picture of community challenges on a neighborhood level, and the data is used in education settings worldwide. Data comes from federal, state and other datasets with rigorous standards for collection and analysis.

The Health Dashboard allows for comparisons between specific census tracts within a city and between different cities. Chronic health conditions and social determinants of health are the primary data points that the REACH Partnership will monitor, paying particular attention to diabetes and heart disease – two areas where Danville’s percentages are high. For example, the dashboard shows that approximately 17 percent of adults in Danville reported having diabetes in 2020, whereas the average across all cities in the dashboard is 9.8 percent.

The City of Danville supported the REACH Partnership’s application to include Danville data in the City Health Dashboard.

City Manager Ken Larking said he was pleased to offer Danville’s support for this initiative. “It’s important for the future of our community and the people living here to have an opportunity to have a healthy lifestyle,” he said. “This dashboard will enable us to track progress over time and to target resources to the areas that need it the most. This effort, coupled with what the City of Danville is doing to improve neighborhoods, economic opportunity, and educational attainment will help Danville be the strong and resilient city we all desire.”

The REACH Partnership addresses systemic barriers to physical and mental health services for at-risk populations. The REACH Partnership works with a related public health AmeriCorps program and employs coordinated care teams to reduce avoidable emergency department and hospital use and address chronic disease and health factors. The REACH Partnership is managed by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research and is supported by the Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region.

“The City Health Dashboard is an excellent tool that will continue to support and advance our collaborative work,” said Maggie Richardson, Regional Coordinator for the Health Collaborative. “Access to local data is so important for validating people’s lived experiences and developing effective strategies that directly address health inequities.“

 

The REACH Partnership also includes the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Piedmont Access to Community Health Services, Gateway Health, Sovah Health Danville, Compassion Healthcare, the Danville Life Saving Crew, Caswell County EMS, Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services and Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The project is funded by a $6.3 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation.

First launched in 2018, the City Health Dashboard was created by the New York University Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

IALR Awarded $230,000 Grant to Continue Public Health AmeriCorps Program

IALR Awarded $230,000 Grant to Continue Public Health AmeriCorps Program

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) was awarded a grant of $230,000 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. The grant will fund the continued impact of the Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) AmeriCorps program, which has provided public health workshops and educational opportunities in concert with the REACH Partnership since 2022.  

“We are so excited to see the positive and tangible impact that our REACH AmeriCorps members will continue making on health outcomes of individuals, families and the community as a whole,” said Dana Silicki, Advanced Learning Program Manager at IALR. “This grant will allow REACH AmeriCorps to continue serving the Dan River Region by addressing health and education needs.”  

“The REACH partnership is committed to addressing systemic barriers to physical and mental health services for at-risk populations, and health education outreach offered by the REACH AmeriCorps program is a key part of that,” said Dr. Cassandra Shelton, REACH Program Manager. “The continued funding of REACH AmeriCorps will allow us to effectively and systematically improve health education and access.” 

The REACH AmeriCorps program is dedicated to expanding capacity for public health service by providing direct outreach and education service in the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County (NC). Members provide individualized support, addressing the region’s most pressing physical and mental health challenges. 

IALR is recruiting 15 part-time REACH Community Health Educators, who will conduct community health workshops over nine months in targeted census tracts in the Dan River Region. Workshops will be based on specific population health topics, addressing areas of high need and chronic health issues. Members will serve approximately 25 hours per week. 

In conjunction with the REACH AmeriCorps program, The REACH Partnership, an effort supported by The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region, deploys Community Health Workers and Community Paramedics – referred to as coordinated care teams – to assist with an individual’s physical and mental health needs and connect clients to community resources, addressing the myriad social determinants of health. The REACH Partnership includes the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (lead and fiscal agent),  Virginia Cooperative Extension, Piedmont Access to Community Health Services, Gateway Health, Sovah Health Danville, Compassion Healthcare, the Danville Life Saving Crew, Caswell County EMS, Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services and Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The Partnership efforts are funded by a $6.3 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation. 

AmeriCorps State and National, a federal-state partnership with a central role for Governor-appointed State Service Commissions, develops and implements state-specific national service programs. These grants allow organizations to recruit, train and supervise AmeriCorps members who are providing services to support education, disaster services, health, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity and service to veterans and military families. 

AmeriCorps State and National engages more than 65,000 Americans in intensive service each year. AmeriCorps members in the AmeriCorps State and National program receive a modest living allowance. At the successful completion of each service term, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs.  Members who are age 55+ when they begin service may gift their Segal Education Award to immediate family members. 

About AmeriCorps  

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteerism and national service, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov. 

About IALR  

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with applied research, advanced learning, advanced manufacturing, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville.