TEXAS, USA — Menard County is one of the 41 U.S. communities in 27 states and the District of Columbia to receive funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program.
The CDC said the program is to improve health, prevent chronic diseases and reduce health disparities. Eight other Texas counties will share in the $975,828 funds awarded to Texas A&M Agri-life Extension for the program - Hudspeth, Reeves, Falls, Matagorda, Colorado, Grimes, Liberty and Limestone.
Additionally, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District in Bexar County was awarded $1,021,899.
According to the CDC, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke are among the most common causes of illness, disability and death in the U.S. and are the leading drivers of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual healthcare costs.
The chronic conditions and the factors that lead to them are more common or severe for some racial and ethnic groups, the CDC said.
Recipients will plan and carry out local, culturally-appropriate programs to address a wide range of health issues among racial and ethnic minority groups.
They will use evidence-based strategies to:
- Make healthy food choices easier everywhere
- Provide safe and accessible physical activity opportunities
- Ensure continuity of care in breastfeeding support
- Improve nutrition and physical activity and increase breastfeeding in early care and education settings
- Increase access to family healthy weight programs
- Help prevent commercial tobacco use
- Increase awareness, confidence, demand and access to COVID-19, flu and other routinely recommended adult vaccines among racial and ethnic groups experiencing disparities in immunization, including uninsured adults.
REACH programs work specifically among African American, Black, Hispanic, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native populations.