The Community Health Center of the New River Valley (CHCNRV) and the University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center (UVACC) have been awarded a 3-year, $600,000 grant from the Jeffress Trust Grant Program to partner to advance health equity and improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates.
Their research project, titled “Improving Implementation of Evidenced-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Practices in a Multisite Federally Qualified Health Center in Appalachia Virginia,” will focus on CHCNRV system-level practices and root causes contributing to low CRC screening rates. “These causes for our patients can be structural or institutional barriers, a lack of distribution of resources, and poverty,” states CHCNRVs CEO, Michelle Brauns. “Our long-term goal is to improve screening rates and reduce CRC-related morbidity and mortality in our entire service area. We’re so pleased to be able to assist with this important work.”
The CHCNRV will hire a Cancer Screening Navigator to assist with program development of a new colorectal screening program, provide patient support, education, and care coordination.
This research builds on momentum established by these two organizations from 2020 when they received an Integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia Community Scholar Grant awarded to evaluate interventions aimed at cancer prevention.The CHCNRV is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving patients regardless of their ability to pay. Based in the New River Valley, the CHCNRV provides affordable and high quality medical, dental, behavioral, and preventive health care services to people of all ages. For more information about the Community Health Center’s services and programs in Dublin, Christiansburg, Pearisburg, and at Giles High School, visit our website at www.chcnrv.org or call 381-0820.