Morehouse School of Medicine Receives More Than $1 Million Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Funding comes from first year of CDC's five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program.
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 29, 2024 – The Prevention Research Center (PRC) at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) has received a $1 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the first year in the CDC's five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program.
"This is the PRC’s third REACH award," said Latrice Rollins, PhD, MSW, Co-Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor in the MSM Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine. "This funding provides an opportunity for us to continue to strengthen community partnerships and implement evidence-based, culturally responsive strategies that will reduce health disparities for Black and Hispanic children and families in Fulton County."
Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke are among the most common causes of illness, disability, and death in the United States. They are also leading drivers of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care costs. These chronic conditions — and the factors that lead to them — are more common or severe for some racial and ethnic groups. With this award from the REACH program, the MSM Prevention Research Center will work with partners and local coalitions to enhance existing resources, address Fulton County residents' health needs, and reduce health disparities.
"CDC is excited to announce this new REACH funding to 50 communities across 32 states and the District of Columbia," said Terry O’Toole, PhD, MDiv, program development and evaluation branch chief in CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. "With this funding, organizations will plan and carry out local, culturally appropriate programs to address a wide range of health issues among racial and ethnic minority groups where health gaps remain. REACH intends to improve health where people live, learn, work, and play."
The MSM REACH team will implement proven public health strategies for:
- Healthy food choices easier everywhere — promoting food service and nutrition guidelines, expanding fruit and vegetable voucher incentive and/or produce prescription programs.
- Safe and accessible physical activity — connecting pedestrian, bicycle, or transit transportation networks to everyday destinations.
- Family healthy weight programs — improving access to effective, family-centered, culturally relevant health behavior and lifestyle treatment programs.
- COVID-19, flu, and other routine vaccines — increasing awareness, confidence, demand, and access to routinely recommended adult vaccines, for racial and ethnic groups experiencing disparities in immunization, including uninsured adults.
A complete list of CDC's REACH recipients and additional information can be found on the REACH website.
For more information about Morehouse School of Medicine, please visit MSM.edu.
About Morehouse School of Medicine
Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation’s number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission — the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master’s degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit MSM.edu or call 404-752-1500.
Contact
Jamille Bradfield
Director, External Communications, Media Relations & Crisis Communications
Morehouse School of Medicine
jbradfield@msm.edu