Executive summary the mission of crowley?s ridge development council (crdc) is ?to provide leadership in the creation of opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and families to achieve greater…

Executive summary the mission of crowley?s ridge development council (crdc) is ?to provide leadership in the creation of opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and families to achieve greater self-sufficiency in their lives thereby eliminating the causes of poverty in northeast arkansas.? The proposed vista program assignment aligns with the cncs focus area of healthy futures. This project seeks to build ?a coordinated system of policies and practices that facilitate access to quality healthcare and comprehensive resources that address the social determinants of health, such as food, housing, family violence, economic stability, parenting and social support needed to improve the short-, mid- and long-term physical, mental and social health of high-risk children and families facing economic and social disadvantage in the 8 crdc service area counties in east arkansas: greene, craighead, poinsett, crittenden, cross, ST. Francis, jackson, and woodruff.? Facilitated by the crdc, one of 16 community action agencies across arkansas, the initiative is a partnership of healthcare, education, social service, government, and faith organizations to coordinate resources for better population health outcomes that can serve as a model for community action initiatives across the state. Crdc is requesting five vistas to start in 2017, three in february and two in april, to engage low-income residents, conduct family needs assessment and community needs assessments, conduct a resource inventory and build an updated online shared resource database, act as liaisons to care navigators working directly with the families in need, and finally to serve in the center for nonprofit and small town support doing such things as grant research, writing, and management, as well as, reviewing and processing applications from families. Crdc is requesting to add one vista per year for three years, for a total of eight vistas by year four. The initial project is estimated to take four years, but ongoing support is needed for another two to four years to ensure sustainability.