For immediate release
October 1, 2012
Washington, D.C. – The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) has been awarded a major grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program. The grant will fund a newly developed project—Strategies to Reach and Implement the Vision of Health Equity (STRIVE)—designed to reduce chronic diseases, eliminate disparities and improve the health of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AAs and NHPIs). APIAHF is partnering with the New York University Center for the Study of Asian American Health (NYU CSAAH) to implement the project.
“Risk factors such as weight, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity are linked to the disproportionate impact of chronic diseases in AA and NHPI communities,” said Ed Tepporn, APIAHF vice president of community strategies. “We are incredibly excited that this grant will allow us to examine and address the underlying policies and structural challenges that contribute to these risk factors.”
“This investment comes at a critical time,” said Chau Trinh-Shevrin, director of NYU CSAAH. “While AA and NHPI communities are some of the fastest growing in the nation, we have traditionally either been left out of large-scale national strategies or been allocated limited resources to target our underserved communities. REACH funding will help to address the needs of these diverse communities by fostering community-driven interventions and policies.”
“NYU CSAAH is honored to continue to be part of the REACH program and applauds the CDC’s sustained commitment to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health,” added Simona Kwon, former director of the NYU REACH program. “We look forward to working with our community partners to disseminate and implement relevant, culturally tailored strategies to address these health disparities.”
Over the five year project period, APIAHF and NYU CSAAH will work with over a dozen AA and NHPI community-based organizations to reduce the impact of chronic diseases by supporting local coalitions to implement evidence- and practice-based initiatives, develop and implement culturally appropriate media campaigns, and impact local health policies and structural changes.
The CDC’s REACH program is integral to national efforts to address the significant impact that chronic diseases have on all Americans, and particularly racial and ethnic minorities and other vulnerable populations. In addition, this funding opportunity complements existing federal efforts including the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities, which builds on the Affordable Care Act’s investments and reforms.