Community Collaborations and Project Successes:
Access To Healthcare ~ Prostate Cancer ~ Mental Health ~ Access to Dental Care ~
Teen Health/Teen Tobacco Use Transportation ~ Community Needs Assessment
Health Disparities - Access to Healthcare
2008 - Safety-net Providers:
Cabarrus Community Health Center
Southern Piedmont Community Care Plan
The Community Free Clinic
Cabarrus Health Alliance
CMC-NorthEast
Private medical providers
Many other community partners, including DSS and Cooperative Christian Ministry
contribute significantly to this safety-net.
2008 – Developing a resource guide for local breast health screening and treatment
resources.
2007 – Developed a local resource guide for medication assistance
2006 – Developed / expanded local medication assistance programs to assist uninsured, lowincome residents in getting prescription medications. Received three Health and Wellness
Trust Fund Medication Assistance Program grant awards.
2006 – Cabarrus Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center, opened in a high
risk, low-income community to provide primary healthcare.
Collaboratively developed a Cabarrus Healthcare Continuum to identify strengths/weaknesses
and gaps in health services.
2001-2005 – Development of the Community Care Plan through which public, private, and nonprofit providers have donated healthcare for almost 9000 indigent uninsured residents.
Cabarrus received $2.5 million in federal Community Access Program funding to initiate this
program.
2001-2006 - 400 low-income children have received NC Health Choice Insurance due to
premiums paid by $19,000 in donations sought by Healthy Cabarrus.
2003-2004 - Coordinated a local system to respond to prescription medicine needs of displaced
Pillowtex workers, provided $205,000 in prescription medications.
Cabarrus Senior Center and community partners created a Medicare Part D information and
assistance program to help seniors access prescription medications.
Health Disparities - Prostate Cancer
2007 – A Prostate Cancer Screening program for African American men was established at
Cabarrus Health Alliance.
Men for Living and the Cabarrus Health Alliance Prostate Cancer Program carry out:
Community Awareness Events
Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Breakfast
Barber Shop Outreach Program
Close to 50 African American men have been trained as outreach advocates
2005 – Men For Living (MFL) a volunteer group of African American men was established to
actively advocate for prostate cancer screening and provide education to African American
men.
2005 and 2006 - MFL recruited men to participate in the annual free prostate cancer
screening at NorthEast Medical Center and marketed the event in the community. There was
a marked increase in the number of African American men screened.
2005 - Cabarrus Health Alliance and MFL hosted an international prostate cancer training
workshop for volunteers, parish nurses, and Batte Cancer Center staff.
Mental Health – PBH and Community Accomplishments
2008 - Cultural Competency training and Community Lunch and Learn sessions.
2007 - New Mobile Crisis Service established
2007 - Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers
2006 – A study of Mental Health Needs of Latinos was conducted and the results distributed.
http://www.mhacentralcarolinas.org/uploads/HispLatinoFinalReport.pdf
2006 - A survey of the local Mental Health Services Delivery system was completed and a
Mental Health Forum was held to share and discuss the results.
2005 – A local ACCESS number was established, 1-800-939-5911.
2004 - 2006 - A local Community Advisory Committee was established and meets monthly to
identify and discuss service delivery and accessibility issues.
2005 - A new Crisis Recovery Center was established.
2005 - A two-year pilot project began to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of depression
for patients in primary care offices.
Access to Dental Care
2008 – Cabarrus County Dental Society hosted an educational meeting to learn about the oral
health effects of smokeless tobacco – presented by the NC Spit Tobacco Education Program.
Increases in the % Medicaid children and adults who can access dental care:
FY02 FY07
Children
19%
33%
Adults
18%
21%
2007 – An Infant and Children Oral Health Education program was developed and presented
to local pediatricians to assist in getting early and routine dental care for children.
2006 – Expansion of Public Health Dental Clinic capacity to 12 chairs (3 chairs in 2001, 6 chairs
in 2004)
The number of patient visits through Cabarrus Health Alliance Dental Clinic increased from
3,634 in FY01 to 10,299 in FY07
2004 – 2006 – Increased the number of Pediatric Dentists practicing in Cabarrus from 0 to 2.
Established dental services in the hospital operating room to provide specialized dental
treatment for indigent children, the elderly, and special needs residents.
2003 - Established comprehensive dental services for nursing home/group home residents
and special needs populations in Cabarrus, Stanly, Rowan, and Iredell counties. Successfully
sought $352,000 in grant funding to support start-up of this project.
2000 - Involved twenty-two local dentists in addressing access to care issues through
volunteering with our dental examination and fluoride varnish program. Over 2000 kids were
served in each of the first two years.
1999 - Established a Dental Task Force, an ongoing, organized effort among dentists and
others in our community to address the access to dental care issues.
Teen Health and Tobacco Use
2008 - Over 150 local restaurants are 100% smoke-free and are included in the Cabarrus
Smoke-Free Dining Guide Click Here.
2008 - Tobacco prevention curriculum has been implemented in all Cabarrus County Schools
middle schools.
2007 - Teen TRU Crews established at area high schools
2006 – 2009 - A Teen Tobacco Prevention Program was established with funding from the NC
Health and Wellness Trust Fund.
2006 - Baseline data on tobacco, alcohol, and drug use among middle and high school students
has been gathered.
2006 - Teen Task Force carried out “Be EMPOWERED!” campaign encouraging students in
seven area high schools to be empowered to make the right choices in life.
2005 - Implemented Bullying Awareness campaigns, which reached 8500 high school
students during the 2004-2005 school year. The slogan, Stop Bullying Now – Take a Stand,
Lend a Hand.
2005 - Implemented nutrition, exercise, and body image awareness campaign, Be Real Be
Healthy that was carried out in all 7-area high schools.
2004 - Developed teacher resource manuals on STD’s, HIV/AIDS, and abstinence for 9th grade
health teachers to compliment the state curriculum guide.
2001 - Established a 24 hour teen telephone health information line – “Teen Talk”
1-800-650-TEEN, or www.CallTeenTalk.com , which receives hundreds of calls each month.
Transportation
Transportation to healthcare has been positively impacted by the CK Rider bus system which
began in 2004 and is serving over 30,000 riders monthly. Healthy Cabarrus serves on the
Cabarrus Rowan Transit commission advocating for and supporting the implementation of
this six-route bus transit system.
Established a Transportation Position Statement and distributed it to local municipalities and
county government detailing the importance of adequate transportation for residents to
access employment, healthcare, education, and to meets the needs of daily life.
Actively advocate for the needs of the underserved by serving on transportation boards and
committees with city and county government and the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of
Commerce.
Community Needs Assessment
Partnered with United Way and Cabarrus Health Alliance to complete a comprehensive
Community Needs Assessment in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Publish an annual Cabarrus Health Report.