Know Diabetes by Heart
PRESS RELEASE
For media inquiries, contact:
National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW)
Aurora GrantWingate
NACHW NCRN Coordinator
agrantwingate@hria.org
NACHW Partners the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Heart Association, CHWs, and Organizations in 8 States to Disseminate the Know Diabetes by Heart (KDBH) Presentation
Know Diabetes by Heart is a presentation designed by the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association to educate, prevent, and mitigate the impact of diabetes.
The National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) has partnered with the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, CHWs, and Organizations in 8 states to disseminate the Know Diabetes by Heart (KDBH) Presentation. One of the organizations NACHW has partnered with is Ka’u Rural Health Community Association, Inc (KRHCAI) to bring the presentation to their community in Kahala, HI. The presentation is a new program designed by the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association to educate, prevent, and mitigate the impact of diabetes on communities with disproportionate rates. The presentation is roughly 30 minutes long and includes connections to other materials and opportunities, such as the ADA’s Living With Type 2 Diabetes Program which is a free, 12-month program that provides information and support to people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This project will be headed by Jessanie “Auntie Jessie” Marques, Executive Director of KRHCAI. The program began on June 1st and will run through January 31, 2022.
Auntie Jessie and KRHCAI also partners with NACHW as one of NACHW’s COVID-19 Community Engagement Liaisons representing Hawai’i in support of MSM’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN).
“Ka’u Rural Health Community Association, Inc has been a valued partner in our work on mitigating the impact of COVID and I look forward to deepening our connection and partnership over the course of this program to educate and prevent diabetes” says NACHW Executive Director, Denise Octavia Smith, MBA, CHW, PN.
For more information about Know Diabetes by Heart please visit their website or contact Aurora GrantWingate at agrantwingate@hria.org.
About the National Association of Community Health Workers
The National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) strives to unify the voices of the community health workers and strengthen the profession’s capacity to promote healthy communities through our six key values of self-empowerment, self-determination, social justice and equity, unity, integrity, and dignity and respect. Community Health Workers (CHWs), also known as promotoras de salud, Community Health Representatives, Outreach Specialist, Peers, etc, are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of and/or have an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables CHWs to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. CHWs also build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy. Visit our website to learn more and to join our membership.
About Kaʻu Rural Health Community Association, Inc.
Kaʻu Rural Health Community Association, Inc. (KRHCAI) is a community-based membership 501 (c) 3 tax exempt non-profit charitable organization which evolved as a direct result of a community “grassroots” coalition to preserve access to quality healthcare in rural communities. In 1998, the “grassroots” coalition was successful in keeping Kaʻu hospital’s 24-hour emergency room services open. The coalition formally established KRHCAI as a community-based membership organization and received its 501 (c)3 status in November, 1998.
Our purpose is to support and promote community empowerment, capacity building, collaborative partnerships and a healthy community by focusing on Health, Education, Research Opportunities and Economic Sustainability (HEROES).
Ka'u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. 