From HIP-Cuyahoga to REACH
Health Improvement Partnership-Cuyahoga (HIP-Cuyahoga) understands that neighborhoods and communities are not all created equal, and some people are born and live in places where it is difficult to grow up healthy. The conditions in which people live, and the opportunities they have, form the foundation for health and without them, people are more likely to live shorter, sicker lives. When healthy living is easier, we all live longer and healthier lives.
HIP-Cuyahoga was a multi-sector, equity-grounded consortium, established in 2009 following a comprehensive community health assessment and improvement planning process, with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) serving as the backbone organization. HIP-Cuyahoga’s mission was to inspire, influence, and advance policy, environmental and lifestyle changes that foster health and wellness for everyone.The HIP-Cuyahoga consortium and this mission served as the foundation for Cuyahoga County’s first round of funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) project in 2014. Two of the REACH strategic priorities (increase access and opportunity for improved nutrition and active living, and improve chronic disease management) were also identified through HIP-Cuyahoga’s community health improvement planning process.
HIP-Cuyahoga served as the consortium supporting Cuyahoga County’s community health assessment and improvement planning process until mid-2024, HIP-Cuyahoga now serves as the consortium for the current REACH project, (2023–2028). The current REACH project builds on partnerships, lessons learned and successes achieved through our 2014–2023 REACH initiatives. This work has been built on over a decade of strong partnerships developed over the course of conducting four highly participatory community health improvement-planning processes, implementing two prior REACH projects and the COVID-19 pandemic response. We are leveraging our past and current work to build upon environmental, systems, structure, and policy changes that improve population health, reduce the burden of chronic disease, and achieve health equity in Cuyahoga County. The work of this partnership will support the implementation of culturally tailored and evidence-based strategies that improve health, and reduce chronic disease burden among our target population in Cuyahoga County.
Our current 5-year REACH program aims to improve health, prevent chronic disease, and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease, more specifically in Black and Hispanic communities within Cuyahoga County. It includes evidence-based, culturally tailored interventions and activities for nutrition and physical activity that ultimately lead to reduced health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension; heart disease; Type 2 diabetes; and obesity.
Cuyahoga County
Health Matters Here!
What if on your next visit, your doctor checked your weight, your blood pressure and your ZIP code? Your neighborhood matters when it comes to your health. Your ZIP code can predict how long or healthy you live–but it shouldn’t be this way. Cuyahoga County’s urban residents have the poorest health and live the shortest lives–up to 20 years shorter than suburban residents. To ensure everyone has the same chance to be healthy, we’re tackling social issues, like structural racism, and personal challenges, like being able to buy healthy foods and exercise safely in ALL of our neighborhoods. We know health matters here.
Health and Equity in All Policies
HIP-Cuyahoga wants to go beyond simply talking about health in all policies and ensure that we are building opportunities for everyone in Cuyahoga County to be healthy. We're collaborating to improve the health of all people in our county by incorporating health and equity into decision-making across sectors, systems and policy areas.
Community Engagement
HIP-Cuyahoga goes beyond a data-driven approach that appeals to the mind only, to a community-driven approach guided by shared values--moving both hearts and minds towards improved health for all in Cuyahoga County. We're involving community members in planning, decision making and actions to make Cuyahoga County a healthier place for all.
Collective Impact
Collective impact brings people together, in a structured way, to achieve social change. Through the coordination of partnerships, alignment of priorities and actions, and mobilization of resources, HIP-Cuyahoga is making a difference. We work with more than 100 agencies, organizations and community groups.
Perspective Transformation
HIP-Cuyahoga works with individuals and organizations to help them understand how hidden assumptions about racial and ethnic minorities impact their decisions and actions toward health improvement. We engage leaders and community members to use both their head and heart to see and understand the world in new ways to help eliminate structural racism as a root cause of health inequity.