The NENCPPH completed a Community Focused Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative from the State Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities which was focused on increasing awareness of health disparities and developing solutions with local Disparity Gap Coordinators.
Each health department had allocated a health educator from their staff to serve as a Disparity Gap Coordinator. These Coordinators help to link the Partnership to community coalitions such as Healthy Carolinians and school health advisory councils, and help to implement programs conducted by the NENCPPH. In addition, the Disparity Gap Coordinators attended quarterly trainings on how to implement culturally appropriate public health programs. For examples on activities which occurred in the various counties, take a look at the newsletter, “Giving Clarity to Disparities.”
A Regional Health Disparities Coordinator was spearheading the development of a large collaborative, the Eastern Health Network, that would create collaborations between faith based organizations, community based organizations, health departments, schools, and government. The aim of the project was to create avenues to strengthen communities via capacity and infra-structure building and sharing resources across county lines to eliminate health disparities in the eastern region of North Carolina. Other activities conducted by the Regional Health Disparities Coordinator included conducting focus groups, holding meetings and trainings, assisting the Disparity Gap Coordinators to review and revise their county action plans, working with church youth groups regarding diabetes/kidney disease, and planning a leadership conference. Due to changes in funding at the State-level, the position of Regional Health Disparities Coordinator was discontinued.
The 4th Annual Health Disparities Leadership Conference, “Bringing Communities Together, Connecting the Pieces” was held on June 24, 2011 at the Bob Martin Center in Williamston. Approximately 100 participants shared and learned about ways we can come together for the betterment of our communities.