YSU Receives $719K to Improve Health, Prevent Chronic Disease

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State University’s Consortium of Community Health received more than $719,000 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the first year in the five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program. 

The Reach funding will help the YSU Consortium of Community Health, made up of faculty members from various health and wellness related fields, to improve health, prevent chronic disease and reduce health disparities among Youngstown City School District students and their families.

The group will use the funding to implement the Guin Fit program, or a family healthy weight program, with research led by Nicolette Powe, YSU associate professor of public health and principal investigator.

YSU will work with Mahoning County Public Health and the Healthy Community Partnership Coalition to enhance existing resources; address health needs in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties; and reduce health disparities.

“CDC is excited to announce this new Reach funding to 41 communities across 27 states and the District of Columbia,” said Dr. Terry O’Toole, program development and evaluation branch chief in CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “With this funding, organizations will plan and carry out local, culturally appropriate programs to address a wide range of health issues among racial and ethnic minority groups where health gaps remain. Reach intends to improve health where people live, learn, work and play.”

The YSU Consortium of Community Health will implement public health strategies for family healthy weight programs – improving access to effective, family-centered, culturally relevant health behavior and lifestyle treatment programs.

A complete list of CDC’s Reach recipients and more information can be found HERE.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.