WHO WE ARE: Catawba County Health Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that fosters coalitions aimed at improving priority health issues in Catawba County. Priority health issues are selected by the community every four years in conjunction with the Catawba County Community Health Assessment.
COALITIONS/PRIORITY HEALTH ISSUES:
Access to Care – Improving access to healthcare
A.S.A.P. (Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention) of Catawba County – Preventing underage drinking
Cancer Task Force – Promoting prostate and colorectal cancer screenings among at-risk populations
Eat Smart Move More Catawba County – Preventing childhood obesity
MEMBERSHIP: Health Partners is comprised of more than 120 volunteer members representing 54 community partners (such as hospital employees, human resource managers, school staff, nonprofit directors, civic leaders, law enforcement, university and college professionals, and many others).
WHAT WE DO: Health Partners coalitions develop and implement behavior, policy, systems and environmental change strategies to prevent disease and promote health in Catawba County. Following are examples of some of the initiatives currently in place:
The Eat Smart Move More Catawba County Healthy Schools Recognition Program is currently working with schools to help them meet state nutrition and physical activity standards and reduce childhood obesity. The coalition is also implementing a national grant initiative to establish policy and environmental changes that promote physical activity and nutrition in Catawba County.
A.S.A.P. works to prevent permissive attitudes that enable underage drinking and routinely conducts Alcohol Purchase Surveys with local merchants to help prevent the sale of alcohol to minors.
The Cancer Task Force promotes screening of prostate and colorectal cancers – two cancers that can be successfully impacted by early detection – by educating at-risk populations about the importance of cancer screening. The coalition presents educational forums at churches and other gatherings and actively promotes existing cancer screenings in the community.
Access to Care established MACC (Medical Access Catawba County) to provide chronic disease management for low-income and uninsured populations through Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry. It is currently assessing the impact of healthcare reform on Catawba County.
MANAGEMENT: Health Partners is managed by Catawba County Public Health, which serves as the nonprofit’s fiscal agent and provides significant in-kind support in the form of personnel and facilities. The organization is overseen by a Board of Directors representing the healthcare, education, human service, financial and business sectors of the community. Catawba County Health Partners is funded by Catawba Valley Medical Center, Frye Regional Medical Center, community donations, and a variety of local, state and national grants.
