Bronx Health Reach

Bronx, NY – on Friday, May 3rd, Bronx Health REACH held its annual pastor’s breakfast to honor the work done by the 47 churches participating in the Bronx Health REACH Faith-Based Outreach Initiative (FBOI) and discuss the future of the FBOI and the Segregated Care Campaign. The Segregated Care Campaign seeks to improve the current unequal access to outpatient specialty care in teaching hospitals across New York through a state-level bill that would require hospitals to provide the same care to everyone regardless of their health insurance or even if they don’t have health insurance. Since 2007, the FBOI coalition has mobilized and educated over 5,000 clergy members to promote equal access to care in New York City. At the end of the breakfast, the pastors renewed their commitment to the campaign and identified concrete ways their congregations could be leaders in this important effort.

The Partnership for a Healthier Bronx at Bronx Health REACH/Institute for Family Health is partnering with Everyday Democracy and coalition members on a new initiative called “Bronx Community Conversations for Change.”  The initiative aims to identify concerns and opportunities for healthy living in the Bronx and increase community participation and leadership in public health programs. The initiative includes: a facilitator’s training, structured, action-oriented conversations with community members, and community residents and organizations taking action in their communities. To launch the initiative, Everyday Democracy held a facilitator’s training on February 21^st at Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CUCE) in the South Bronx.  Twenty-nine people attended from all areas of the Bronx, including community members and representatives from community-based organizations, health and housing providers, and city agencies.  The training was co-sponsored by Bronx Health REACH, Everyday Democracy, the Partnership for a Healthier NYC, CUCE and the American Lung Association of the Northeast.  To get involved, please contact Emma Rodgers at 212-633-0800 x1249 or erodgers@institute2000.org

On December 18^th, Charmaine Ruddock, Carlos Devia and Diana Johnson presented at the 2012 Science of Eliminating Health Disparities Summit in Maryland on the role of insurance in access to specialty care at New York State teaching hospitals, changing the food environment in childcare settings, and community-academic collaborations on obesity prevention programs in elementary schools.  The Summit, hosted by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under the leadership of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health from December 17-19, focused on the intersection between science, practice and policy in eliminating health disparities.  Three-thousand people attended the exciting three day conference, including professionals and leaders from government agencies, community organizations, academia and medical institutions.