REACH AmeriCorps Recruiting 15 Members Thanks to AmeriCorps Continuation Grant
The Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) AmeriCorps program is recruiting 15 part-time REACH Community Health Educators to conduct community health workshops over nine months. Hosted in targeted census tracts in the Dan River Region, the workshops focus on specific health topics and address areas of high need and chronic health issues. Members will serve approximately 25 hours per week.
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) administers the REACH AmeriCorps program.
“Our REACH AmeriCorps members will positively impact the health outcomes of individuals, families and the entire Dan River Region. This grant allows us to continue building pathways for public health-related careers and empowers our REACH AmeriCorps members to continue addressing community health and education needs.” – Dana Silicki, Director, STEM, Lifelong and Service Learning Programs
Members who participate in this service opportunity will receive a stipend of $11,500 and a Segal Education Award—which can be used to repay student loans or for current or future education—of $3,447.50. Members need to be available from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and some additional hours may be required for a total of 900 hours.
This Public Health AmeriCorps program is ideal for students seeking a gap year, those entering the health field, career switchers and retirees.
Those who are interested in this meaningful service opportunity can apply in the following ways:
Members of the REACH AmeriCorps program during the 2024 MLK Day of Service Project.
IALR was awarded a $218,678 grant from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, to continue this program for a third year. The grant will fund the continued impact of the REACH AmeriCorps program, which has provided public health workshops and educational opportunities in concert with the REACH Partnership since 2022.
The REACH AmeriCorps program is dedicated to expanding the capacity for public health service by providing direct outreach and education services in the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County (North Carolina). Members offer individualized support, addressing the region’s most pressing physical and mental health challenges.
In the current year of the REACH AmeriCorps program (which will end Aug. 31), members have conducted 92 workshops across 21 locations, serving 862 participants. In the program’s two years, members have contributed 12,502 service hours.
In conjunction with the REACH AmeriCorps program, The REACH Partnership 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 to connect clients to community resources, addressing the myriad social determinants of health. Supported by The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region, 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 annually engages more than 65,000 Americans in intensive service. 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 aged 55+ when they begin service may gift their Segal Education Award to immediate family members.
Public Health AmeriCorps, a partnership between AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, supports the recruitment, training and development of a new generation of public health leaders. Supported by funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, Public Health AmeriCorps helps meet the public health needs of local communities, while also creating pathways to public health-related careers.
Since the launch of Public Health AmeriCorps, more than 4,500 AmeriCorps members have added much-needed capacity to health departments, community-based organizations, schools, and more. They help advance more improved health outcomes and support the CDC’s highest priorities, including chronic disease prevention and public health readiness.
Members of the REACH AmeriCorps program during the 2023 9/11 Day of Service Project.
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, and the cities of Martinsville and Danville.
A Collaborative, Impactful Approach to Public Health: The REACH Partnership
A resident of the Dan River Region called 911 for lift assist and bed repair 14 times in one year.
The person needed support and resources, but in those moments of need, the only option the individual felt they had was to call 911.
Such situations strain the entire public health system, ranging from EMS transport agencies to hospitals and emergency rooms.
The Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership connected that patient to food resources, home health care, wound care, medication assistance, telehealth appointments with specialists and in-home physical therapy and ultimately helped with placement in a bariatric nursing home. And that positive outcome is one of many success stories since the Partnership’s launch in 2021.
A systems approach to improve community health, the REACH Partnership brings disparate and siloed health providers together, deploying coordinated care teams to reduce avoidable emergency department and hospital use and address chronic disease and health factors. This work is executed by numerous partners and done in concert with public health education campaigns from the REACH AmeriCorps program.
“IALR is a convener and a connector. The REACH Partnership is a showcase of our goal to bring together seemingly separate or disparate organizations to drive economic transformation through healthy and vibrant communities.” – Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President of Advanced Learning, IALR
A continuation of the former Community Health Worker initiative, the REACH Partnership is supported by The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region and funded through a $6.3 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation. The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) is the program administrator and lead fiscal agent.
A Systems Approach to Public Health
The goal of the REACH Partnership is to connect all the organizations focused on public health and implementing teams on the ground that know and understand the communities where they work. These organizations work together to strategically address systemic barriers to physical and mental health services for at-risk populations.
The service area for The Health Collaborative and REACH Partnership includes Caswell County, N.C., and the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, Va. This rural micropolitan region ranks low in health factors like economic stability, housing, transportation, education and access to healthcare, healthy foods and parks. As a result, poor health outcomes include diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, respiratory problems and low life expectancy. The data below is from countyhealthrankings.org.
Health Factors
- Danville ranks 124 out of 133 Virginia localities.
- Pittsylvania ranks 103 out of 133 Virginia localities.
- Caswell ranks 81 out of 100 North Carolina localities.
Health Outcomes
- Danville ranks 128 out of 133 Virginia localities.
- Pittsylvania ranks 95 out of 133 Virginia localities.
- Caswell ranks 78 out of 100 North Carolina localities.
Factors that impact health are typically generational and socioeconomic in nature, calling for more robust solutions to improve health in a community. Organizations focused on improving community health usually operate independently of each other, duplicating resources and diluting potential impact.
To address both issues simultaneously, the goal for REACH Partners is to take a long-term, strategic approach to improving health by working together to address systemic, socioeconomic and generational health factors.
“Strategic collaboration among the organizations involved is what drives the success and impact of the REACH Partnership. Our teams make a tangible impact in the lives of our clients and will continue to drive positive health outcomes in the region.” – Dr. Cassandra Shelton-Bowman, REACH Program Manager
Dr. Cassandra Shelton-Bowman, Program Manager for the REACH Partnership, speaks with Francina Jones, REACH Program Assistant
Coordinated Care Teams
“You can only serve a community when you know what they need.”
That’s what Cindi Poteat, a Care Coordinator for the REACH Partnership says when describing the role of the coordinated care teams.
Intentionally designed to link healthcare, social services and community members, coordinated care teams include cross-agency community health workers, care coordinators and community paramedics. Community health workers and community paramedics are trusted members of the community who serve in these credentialed roles.
Currently, 20 community health workers and paramedics are in strategic locations across the service area. They are focused on increasing clients’ access to services and improving their health management through education, informal counseling, social support, outreach and advocacy. Each of these workers usually has a caseload of around 20 clients. REACH teams serve as liaisons between the community and available resources, increasing utilization to address social determinants.
The office of the REACH Partnership and REACH AmeriCorps program is located in the middle of downtown Danville at 772 Main Street.
For instance, Martina Tatum, a Certified Community Health Worker and Team Lead with Gateway Health, works with clients on crucial tasks like finding housing, applying for benefits, and navigating end-of-life care.
“When you are struggling to get food, to pay your rent and utility bills, going to the doctor is the last thing on a person’s mind. It’s all connected to health. If your basic needs are not met, you’re not going to take care of yourself.” – Martina Tatum, Community Health Worker
As a Care Coordinator and Certified Community Health Worker, Poteat has spent the last seven years serving communities in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, working to identify the various social determinants of health for people in the region.
“We are a liaison and advocate for our clients in the community. We are their voice.” – Cindi Poteat, Care Coordinator and Certified Community Health Worker
REACH Partners
| The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research | Piedmont Access to Health Services, Inc. (PATHS) | Gateway Health |
| Sovah Health Danville | Compassion Health Care, Inc. | Danville Life Saving Crew |
| Caswell County EMS | Danville Pittsylvania County Community Services | Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority |
AmeriCorps Education
IALR’s Advanced Learning division also administers the REACH AmeriCorps program, which works with the REACH Partnership. Focused on expanding public health capacity, community health educators conduct public health workshops and provide individualized support, addressing the region’s most pressing physical and mental health challenges.
This REACH AmeriCorps program was launched in 2022, and AmeriCorps awarded a $230,000 grant in spring 2023 to continue the program.
REACH AmeriCorps members provide an educational workshop about public health.
In short, this collaboration means that REACH has “two sides of the house.” While the REACH Partnership focuses on connecting providers and providing a system of care, the REACH AmeriCorps program deploys community health educators to provide resources and education to community members struggling with accessing healthcare resources.
REACH AmeriCorps members lead educational workshops in churches, retirement homes, independent living facilities and even within neighborhoods. These workshops are on several different topics specific to the community’s needs, such as mental health, exercise, cancer, diabetes and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
REACH AmeriCorps in fiscal year 2023
| 20 Members | 4,722 Service Hours | 480 Clients Served |
Serving approximately 25 hours a week, REACH AmeriCorps members receive a living allowance stipend, professional development, and a Segal Education Award.
If there is an identified need for immediate help, REACH AmeriCorps members will refer individuals to the REACH Partnership. From there, the Community Health Workers can refer people in need to Primary Care Physicians and provide a personalized approach to addressing the social determinants of health.
A Tangible Impact
“As we make our community healthier, we will have a stronger, more robust workforce. A high-quality, career-ready and healthy workforce is a direct contribution to economic development, the economic transformation of Southern Virginia, and the creation of a region where all can live and thrive.” – Telly Tucker, IALR President
A few years after the program’s launch, the REACH Partnership is already driving impact in the Dan River Region.
2023 Outcomes and Impact
| Made 9,841 Connections to Resources for 674 Clients | Reduced Emergency Room Visits for 63% of High Use Clients | Graduated 134 Clients |
To recognize that impact, the REACH Partnership was recently named a 2023 Health Quality Innovator of the Year by the Health Quality Innovators. The Community Health Worker Initiative – which became the REACH Partnership – was one of the programs that helped the City of Danville win the 2020 All-America City Award,
The REACH Partnership is tangibly improving health outcomes for individuals, but the long-term goal is that these results will compound and enhance the region’s rankings for both health factors and health outcomes. Each organization involved operates under two simple premises: no one organization can solve these problems alone, and improving health outcomes is a long-term strategy.
“Not only are they changing the lives of the individuals they serve, but together, their collective impact is moving the needle on our region’s population health outcomes.” – Maggie Richardson, Regional Coordinator, The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region
Inside IALR Podcast: the REACH Partnership
The Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership is a systems approach to improve community health. In this episode of Inside IALR, we speak REACH Program Manager Dr. Cassandra Shelton, Regional Coordinator for the Health Collaborative Maggie Richardson, and Care Coordinator and certified Community Health Worker Cindi Poteat about the program’s aim to improve health factors and outcomes by connecting people to available resources.
IALR February 2024 Newsletter
The February 20224 edition of IALR at a Glance is jam-packed with exciting news and updates! Learn more about…
- Work-Based Learning opportunities for businesses
- Top-Tier metrology equipment and services through partnerships
- 2023 Annual Report outlines growing impact
- 81 students graduate from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program
- Much more!
REACH Partnership Selected as a 2023 Health Quality Innovator of the Year
In recognition of the program’s tangible impact on health outcomes in the Dan River Region, the Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership has been named as a 2023 Health Quality Innovator of the Year. The Health Quality Innovator Awards is the annual awards program created by Health Quality Innovators (HQI) that recognizes and celebrates organizations that are using successful, evidence-based approaches to improve health care quality and outcomes. The REACH Partnership was selected as the winner in the Rural Health category.
A systems approach to improve community health, the REACH Partnership addresses systemic barriers to physical and mental health services for at-risk populations. REACH brings disparate and siloed health providers together to reduce avoidable emergency department and hospital use and to address chronic disease and health factors. Coordinated care teams, which include cross-agency Community Health Workers, Care Coordinators and Community Paramedics, work together to advance public health.
“We’re incredibly proud that the REACH Partnership has been recognized as a Health Quality Innovator of the Year. Collaboration among the organizations involved is what drives the success and impact of the REACH Partnership, and we are excited to continue advancing positive health outcomes in the Dan River Region.” – Dr. Cassandra Shelton-Bowman, REACH Program Manager
There are approximately 20 community health workers and community paramedics in strategic locations across the service area focused on increasing clients’ access to services and improving their health management through education, informal counseling, social support, outreach and advocacy. From 2021 through 2023, the REACH Partnership has:
- Made 3,592 connections to resources for 350+ clients
- Maintained an active minimum client load of 250 clients
- Reduced emergency room visits for 45% of clients, connected 53% of clients to primary care, and connected 63% of clients to food and housing resources
“The Community Health Workers, Community Paramedics, and Care Coordinators that make up the REACH Partnership are some of the most caring and dedicated professionals in our community. Not only are they changing the lives of the individuals they serve, but together, their collective impact is moving the needle on our region’s population health outcomes. This honor and recognition is so well-deserved.” – Maggie Richardson, Regional Coordinator, the Health Collaborative
Learn more about the 2023 Health Quality Innovators of the Year.
About the REACH Partnership
The Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership, an effort supported by The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region, includes the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (lead and fiscal agent), 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. The REACH Partnership serves the residents of Danville, VA, Pittsylvania County, VA, and Caswell County, NC, a population of approximately 125,000 across the three-locality footprint.
About HQI
Health Quality Innovators (HQI) is an independent, non-profit consulting organization that offers health care providers practical solutions backed by objectivity and expertise. They consult on complex government healthcare programs, implement change on the front lines of care and shine new light on improvement challenges. HQI serves as the Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN), bringing together organizations and individuals who are making health care better for millions of Americans through funding provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Quality Improvement Organization Program. Members include hospitals, providers, community-based organizations, health care associations and families.
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
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
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.
IALR Awarded $203,558 to Build Public Health AmeriCorps
Funding will support 15 AmeriCorps members to meet public health needs of local community and help rebuild the nation’s public health sector
(L-R) Stephen Coles, Angel Lea and Chaquita Chappell of Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS) help serve the community at a COVID vaccine event. PATHS is one of several partners that will work with new Public Health AmeriCorps members as part of Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH), organized by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) announced today that it has received a Public Health AmeriCorps grant of $203,558 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. The grant will expand IALR’s presence in the Dan River Region, where IALR has been providing services for Southern Virginia since 2002. IALR has also served as the lead agency for the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program since 2015, with members serving over 15,000 hours focusing on building the region’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and literacy capacity.
“As one of five Virginia Public Health AmeriCorps recipients and the only one serving a primarily rural population, we are excited to be able to again partner with AmeriCorps to provide much-needed services for our community,” said Dana Silicki, IALR Program Manager.
Public Health AmeriCorps, a partnership between AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, supports the recruitment, training and development of a new generation of public health leaders. Supported by a five-year, $400 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act, Public Health AmeriCorps will help meet public health needs of local communities by providing surge capacity and support while also creating pathways to public health-related careers.
“Integrating REACH AmeriCorps into the REACH Partnership will greatly expand the number of community members we can serve,” said Dr. Cassandra Shelton, REACH Program Manager.
“The REACH Partnership aims to improve overall health and address barriers to health care by: providing a coordinated care team, connecting individuals to community resources, providing health education, coordinating communication among health care providers, and helping individuals develop skills to better manage their own health.”
With this new funding, IALR will leverage the skills and experience of REACH AmeriCorps members in the Dan River Region to expand capacity for public health service by providing direct outreach and education service in the City of Danville (Va.), Pittsylvania County (Va.) and Caswell County (N.C.). These AmeriCorps members will be responsible for serving 960 individuals, increasing their health knowledge and healthy behaviors through education, outreach, referrals and COVID response.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps has established aid networks, supported vaccination efforts and provided food and resources to those in need,” said Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps CEO. “Public Health AmeriCorps is a first of its kind response to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and social determinants of health. These new AmeriCorps members will add capacity to strained public health systems and build a career pathway for future public health leaders from underserved communities.”
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a REACH AmeriCorps service member, please contact Dana Silicki at dana.silicki@ialr.org or 434-766-6729.
IALR October 2021 Newsletter
New REACH Partnership Awarded $6.3 Million Grant to Address Health Disparities in Dan River Region
Project offers improved access to health care, job creation and workforce development
The Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership, begun as the former Community Health Worker (CHW) Project, will expand resources and services to more wholly address health disparities in the Dan River Region, thanks to a $6.3 million grant award from the Danville Regional Foundation.
“The name change from the Community Health Worker Project to REACH is intentional,” said Dr. Julie Brown, a leader of REACH and Director of Advanced Learning at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). “REACH is a strategic effort to bring disparate and siloed providers together, creating a system of care that drives positive population health outcomes at a reduced cost, improving the quality of life for everyone.”
The REACH Partnership represents the next iteration of the CHW Project, which was originally designed (in cooperation with The Health Collaborative) to improve health outcomes for residents at the highest risk for chronic disease, increase the number of individuals who seek appropriate healthcare services, and create a career pathway for healthcare workers. REACH will continue this work and will expand it to address the systematic barriers preventing positive health outcomes and create a system of care that provides improved access to all residents in the region. REACH also provides holistic support through the clinical Community Paramedic role and the non-clinical CHWs, who work to address the social determinants of health.
REACH’s expanded, systems-based approach will include nine partners, an increase from the original four of the CHW Project. IALR will serve as administrator and fiscal agent, joined by Piedmont Access to Community Health Services, Gateway Health, Sovah Health-Danville, Compassion Healthcare, the Danville Life Saving Crew (DLSC), Pittsylvania County EMS, Caswell County EMS, Danville Pittsylvania Community Services and Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Some of the steps to be taken among partners will include data integration, alignment of resources and coordinated communication.
The project will also add nine new positions, including five new Community Health Workers, three new Community Paramedics (CP) and a Program Assistant. These new positions will work with the current CHWs, Care Coordinators, CPs (initiated by DLSC), Project Manager, and IALR and REACH organizational leadership.
The REACH Partnership has also aligned with workforce development efforts, including the state certification of the Community Health Worker position by the CHW Project team, ample training options and career pathway progression opportunities.
The success of the CHW Project is expected to continue with REACH. Since the CHW Project began working with citizens in 2017, it has served over 1,040 clients with 674 graduates, connecting 38 percent with a primary care physician and 76 percent with a specialty doctor. Sovah Health-Danville emergency department (ED) visits by superusers (those using the ED more than five times in 12 months) dropped by 59 percent after enrollment in the CHW program. The CHW Project also was instrumental in the City of Danville’s All-America City Award win in 2020. Plus, the CHW effort won awards from Health Quality Innovators for creating rural health solutions, as well as the THRIVE Award from The Health Collaborative.
REACH Partners – Pictured Left to Right:
Front row: Jennifer Canada, Certified CHW – Gateway Health; Lakendra Lipscomb, Certified CHW-PATHS; Cynthia Poteat, Certified CHW/ Care Coordinator – Gateway Health/Sovah Health; Tameka Coles, Certified CHW – PATHS; Marlo Burton, Certified CHW/Team Lead – PATHS; Joyce Samuel, CHW – Gateway Health.
Back row: Dawaun Carter, Certified CHW – PATHS; Johnny Mills, Certified CHW/Community Paramedic – Danville Life Saving Crew; Stephens Coles, Certified CHW – PATHS; Keith Carroll, CHW/Community Paramedic – Danville Life Saving Crew; Martina Tatum, Certified CHW/Team Lead – Gateway Health; Vernel Salley, Certified CHW – Gateway Health.
Not Pictured: Chaquita Chappell, Certified CHW – PATHS, Latoya Jones, Certified CHW – Compassion Health Care
Other partners not pictured: Caswell County EMS, Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services, Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
