PCHI® is pleased to announce that Dr. Sarah Redding, founder, was named the recipient of the 2024 Marilyn Hughes Gaston Health Equity Award at the Communities Joined In Action (CJA) annual conference earlier this month.
The award is named after Dr. Gaston, a pioneering physician in sickle cell disease treatment and detection and the first African American woman to lead a public health service bureau when she served as director of the Bureau of Primary Health Care in the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. During her time as director of the bureau, she focused its efforts on improving health care services for poor and underserved families. Dr. Gaston was an important catalyst for the launch of CJA in 2002. CJA is a national non-profit organization headquartered in Atlanta, GA whose mission is to connect and equip communities with tools to improve health equity and well-being.
Dr. Redding, along with her late husband Dr. Mark Redding, learned of the potential impact of community health work while in Kotzebue, Alaska. They founded the PCHI Model, a groundbreaking care coordination framework that provides communities with the infrastructure to successfully work together and minimize duplication to advance health and social care for under-resourced residents. Central to the Model is a sophisticated workflow designed to coordinate the work of community health workers by minimizing duplication and waste. Community health workers assist clients by connecting them to resources and services that lead them on a path toward a healthier life. CHWs often work in the communities where they live, giving them a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and needs of their neighbors.
The PCHI Model is now in nearly half of all states. Research has shown that the Model is an effective approach to community care coordination, improving birth outcomes, improving maternal outcomes, addressing disparities, and is recognized as a best practice by the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP).
Thanks to Dr. Redding's work, communities nationwide are equipped with the tools and strategies needed to foster health equity and enhance the quality of life for underserved populations.
Congratulations to Dr. Redding!
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