Project Grant H8I48992

ACCELERATING CANCER SCREENING - WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND INNOVATIVE HEALTH-CARE AND WELLNESS CENTER CHAMPIONING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, COST-EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS. WHITTIER'S VISION STATEMENT IS TO BECOME AN EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH PROVIDER THAT ADDRESSES HEALTH-CARE INEQUITIES, CLOSES GAPS IN LIFE EXPECTANCY AND PURSUES SOCIAL JUSTICE. WSHC SERVES SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE BOSTON URBAN AREA, NOTABLY ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN AND SOUTH END. THE SERVICE AREA EXPERIENCES HIGH RATES OF POVERTY, GROWTH OF IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS AND AN OVERALL POOR STATE OF HEALTH AMONG ITS TARGET POPULATION. IT IS DESIGNATED AS A 330 (I) PHPC AND A 330 (E) HEALTH CENTER BY HRSA. WHITTIER IS RECOGNIZED AS A PATIENT CENTERED MEDICAL HOME BY THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE (NCQA), AND RECENTLY ATTAINED DISTINCTION IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION BY THE NCQA. WHITTIER HAS DEVELOPED STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HEALTH EQUITY WHICH INCLUDE CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, COMPREHENSIVE SCREENING PROGRAMS WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS LIFESTYLE CHANGE AND HEALTH EDUCATION. MULTIPLE SOCIAL PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AT WHITTIER TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC INEQUITIES AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES IN THE COMMUNITIES SERVED. WHITTIER HAS DEVELOPED STRATEGIC AIMS FOR 2022 THROUGH 2026. THESE INCLUDE TARGETED STRATEGIES FOR INTEGRATED AND COORDINATED CARE, CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES, HEALTH EQUITY, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. WSHC HAD ALSO ESTABLISHED THE BOSTON HEALTH EQUITY PROGRAM. WHITTIER HAS DEVELOPED THE CAPACITY TO BECOME THE CENTER FOR HEALTH EQUITY IN BOSTON BY DIRECTLY AND CONTINUOUSLY ADDRESSING THE MOST COMMON AND MOST PERNICIOUS HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE IN A POSITION TO SET HIGH GOALS FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMONG THE CITY'S MOST UNDERSERVED AND UNHEALTHY RESIDENTS, TO FULLY DEPLOY A HIGHLY INTEGRATED MODEL OF CARE FROM THE COMMUNITY FRONTLINE TO THE HEALTH CENTER AND BEYOND. DA NA-FARBER'S CANCER INSTITUTE, DOCTORS AND NURSES SPECIALIZE IN BREAST CANCER CARE, DRAWING ON THE LATEST DISCOVERIES TO PROVIDE HIGHLY ADVANCED PATIENT CARE THEY ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO PROVIDE WITH THE BEST AND MOST INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE LATEST MEDICAL ONCOLOGY, SURGICAL OPTIONS, BREAST RECONSTRUCTION, AND RADIATION THERAPY. DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE AN NCI (NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE) DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER SHALL BE WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER PROPOSED AXCS PROJECT PARTNER INCREASE SCREENING AND REFERRAL FOR CARE AND TREATMENT SINCE DANA-FARBER COMMUNITY CANCER CARE HAS A LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER AND DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE. THROUGH THE AXCS PROJECT THE NEED FOR ACCELERATED BREAST CANCER SCREENING IN WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER WILL BE INITIATED. BREAST CANCER IS THE MOST COMMON MALIGNANCY AND SECOND MOST LETHAL FORM OF MALIGNANCY AMONG WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES. DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE A NCI (NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE) DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER SHALL BE WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER PROPOSED AXCS PROJECT PARTNER INCREASE SCREENING AND REFERRAL FOR CARE AND TREATMENT SINCE DANA-FARBER COMMUNITY CANCER CARE HAS A LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER AND DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE. GRANTEE: WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER ( H80CS00536 )