Partners With A Role to Play

• CHIP Advisory Council members and organizations
• North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services - Healthy Communities funding
• WNC Healthy Impact
• YMCA of Western North Carolina - Asheville
• YWCA-Asheville
• Buncombe County Communications and Public Engagement (CAPE)
• *neighborhood/community gardens & food banks
• UNETE
• CIMA

Process for Selecting Priority Program/ Strategies

The overall approach used was a modified Results-Based Accountability process. A community input process was facilitated using the RBA Whole Distance Exercise framework with multiple events held in partnership with community providers to listen to community voices. These input sessions included over 75 individuals including those with lived experience, health care providers, social service agencies, advocacy organizations and local non-profits. The professionals participating included those working in the health field as well as those working to address many of the social and economic factors that impact health.

The following actions have been identified by our CHIP Advisory and Leadership Team and community members as ideas for what can work for our community to make a difference on chronic disease:

Actions and Approaches Identified by Our Partners 

These are actions and approaches that our partners think can make a difference:

• One-stop whole-person health services
• Community Health Workers
• Prevention Education
• Cyclical Outreach - bringing services to the community on a rotation
• Dismantling white supremacy culture within organizations and systems that provide healthcare
• Addressing provider bias to include policies and practices that uphold racism within healthcare 
• Increase healthcare models that include home-based services - the ability to bring healthcare to individuals who are most in need
• Tailored outreach to commuinities who have experienced discrimination and/or a feel a lack of safety within healthcare institutions
• Transportation solutions that allow for all residents to access healthcare services (expand bus routes and frequency of routes)

What is Currently Working in Our Community 

These are actions and approaches that are currently in place in our community to make a difference:

• Minority Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) via YMCA
• Community Health Workers model, particularly for populations facing lanugage injustice
• Culturally appropriate fresh food and produce market options
• Enhanced EBT/SNAP benefits for purhcase of fresh fruits and vegetables

What Community Members Most Affected by Chronic Disease (Heart Disease and Diabetes) Say 

These are the actions and approaches recommended by members of our community who are most affected by chronic disease conditions:

• Easy, accessible and afforable pre-packaged healthy food options - make choosing healthy options easier vs. fast food
• Whole-person care; integrating services into a "one stop shop" or bringing services to the people
• Addressing provider bias and stigma - all people should feel heard, supported, and safe when accessing health services

Evidence-Based Strategies 

These are actions and approaches that have been shown to make a difference:

Healthy People 2030 Evidence-Based Practices: "Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention: Interventions Engaging Community Health Workers"

Interventions that engage community health workers to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) among clients at increased risk.

• Engage community health workers in a team-based care model to improve blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Engage community health workers for health education, and as outreach, enrollment, and information agents to increase self-reported health behaviors (physical activity, healthful eating habits, and smoking cessation) in clients at increased risk for heart disease (cardiovascular disease).

Minority Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is an evidence-based model for engaging BIPOC individuals at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  MDPP participants focus on incremental and measured lifestyle changes with the guidance and support of a CDC-certified coach. The goal is to achieve 5 to 7 percent weight loss by the end of the program through healthy eating and physical activity. Classes cover a variety of health and wellness topics, including meal planning, tips for eating healthy away from home, and ways to increase daily activity.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention: Interventions Engaging Community Health Workers. https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/heart-disease-and-stroke/evidence-based-resources

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Evidence-Based Diabetes Prevention Program to Eliminate Health Disparities.https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/SL-2017-57--Section-11E.5.-b--Minority-Health---Diabetes-Prevention-Program-2020--Final-.pdf