Project Grant NUF2CE002537

ASSESSING CAPACITY FOR HEALTH EQUITY IN LOUISIANA - THE LOUISIANA FOUNDATION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT (LAFASA) SEEKS TO REDUCE LOUISIANA'S SIGNIFICANT HEALTH AND SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES AS WELL AS THE INCIDENCE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE STATE. THIS REQUIRES AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT CAPACITY AND STATEWIDE SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS THAT IMPACT HEALTH EQUITY AND INEQUITIES. THE STATE COALITION WILL CONTRACT WITH AN AGENCY TO SERVE AS THE HEALTH EQUITY ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR. THE ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR WILL CONDUCT INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS WITH RPE-FUNDED SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTERS, ACCREDITED SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE RPE FUNDING, INDIVIDUALS AT THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND OTHER CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE PARTNERS IN PRIMARY PREVENTION, INCLUDING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THESE INTERACTIONS WILL BE IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL, BASED ON PARTICIPANT ABILITY, AND WILL OCCUR DURING ONE-ON-VISITS, SCHEDULED REGIONAL MEETINGS, AND THE PREVENTIONISTS/ADVOCATES OF COLOR ROUNDTABLE THAT LAFASA HOSTS. THE RESULT OF THIS WILL BE THE IDENTIFICATION OF AVAILABLE DATA SOURCES TO IDENTIFY POPULATIONS AND COMMUNITIES OF FOCUS, AN ANALYSIS OF PARTNERSHIPS AND GAPS, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH CURRENT TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INCORPORATES HEALTH EQUITY IN LOUISIANA. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO SEEK TO OFFER MORE EQUITY-FOCUSED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, THROUGH A STATEWIDE SUMMIT, VIRTUAL TRAININGS, AND ATTENDANCE AT THE NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT CONFERENCE.