Community Outreach Program

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The Community Outreach Program (COP) will focus outreach efforts to target Hispanics in two regions (counties) in Washington - Yakima and Franklin counties. Because one of the regions (Yakima County) has an American Indian (Al) Resen/ation (the Yakama Nation) located within it and because our past experience has involved members of the Yakama Nation in our intervention activities, we will also focus outreach activities within the Yakama Nation. Our COP will work with partner organizations and community members to leverage resources to address cancer health disparities and cancer control issues and thereby reach Hispanics and Al most in need in the targeted regions, By identifying gaps in delivery of cancer information and education programs, partnerships and activities to close those gaps will be strategically planned, implemented and evaluated to reduce the burden of cancer in the two regions, Since the Task Force on Community Preventive Services has found strong evidence to support interventions such as client reminders, small media, one-on-one education, and reducing structural barriers and out-of-pocket costs as ways to increase breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening, we propose a mix of these intervention strategies. The specific aims of the Community Outreach Program are to: 1) strengthen existing partnerships with communities, providers, and systems of care to increase access to beneficial biomedical procedures to reduce the burden of cancer and other co-morbid conditions; 2) conduct health promotion and education activities to increase awareness and knowledge of beneficial biomedical procedures and behaviors that reduce the burden of cancer and other co-morbidities; 3) work with partner organizations and screening programs to develop effective strategies and system supports that will enhance use of beneficial biomedical procedures and uptake in behavioral changes that reduce cancer burden; and 4) disseminate NCI messages, materials, program information and research opportunities to enhance overall efforts to improve cancer control and reduce cancer burden. It is expected that certain activities conducted under the COP will be guided and coordinated by the NCI. Having worked with the CIS since 2000, our Community Health Educators have extensive knowledge of NCI programs and will ensure that the NCI-coordinated activities go hand-in-hand with the CNP Center activities.