Program Overview

Mission
Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, REACH aims to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease. Such diseases include high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Purpose
CCBH, HIP-Cuyahoga, and community partners seek to remove barriers to health linked to race or ethnicity, education, income, place, or other social factors by making healthy eating and active living easier in priority communities.

What is the problem, and why does it matter?

A core value of public health is that every person should be able to reach their full potential. However, chronic health conditions often result in poor quality of life, stress, employment challenges, which can negatively impact household income, and decreased functioning.

Currently, Cuyahoga County residents face a large and increasing burden of chronic disease. Local data from 2023 shows that:

• Over one-third of Cuyahoga County adults (34.5%) live with obesity.
• While the overall rate of diabetes is 12.1%, Black/African American adults in Cuyahoga are more affected, with a rate of 19%.
• More adults are reporting high blood pressure (38.1%), high cholesterol (38.7%), and arthritis (27.1%) than in previous years.

Not everyone in our county has the resources they need to stay healthy. To prevent and manage chronic diseases, all residents need access to factors that support healthy lifestyles, such as affordable, healthy food and safe spaces for regular physical activity. REACH aims to provide our communities with these supports and resources to make healthy living easier and improve community health outcomes.

What is being done?

Together, the REACH team implements four culturally tailored, evidence-based programs that help individuals and families live healthier.

1. Food Service Guidelines, led by CCBH, works with the Cuyahoga County government, faith-based organizations, and food pantries to increase the availability of nutritious foods by creating organizational nutrition policies.
2. Fruit and Vegetable Programs, led by Case Western’s Swetland Center, improve access to fresh foods through fruit and vegetable incentives and produce prescriptions (PRx).
3. Community Design for Physical Activity, led by Bike Cleveland, plans and implements changes on residential streets, sidewalks, and public transit to make it safer and more inviting to walk, bike, or scooter for transportation and recreation.
4. Early Childcare and Education (ECE), led by CCBH, implements Ohio Healthy Programs and Farm to ECE to expand nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding policies in childcare facilities.