AHEC-NW at Harrison

AHEC-NW at Harrison

Grant Award Amount: $93,624
Project: "Living Healthy: Screenings for Life"
Address: 1515 Pioneer Dr., Harrison, AR 72601
Project Director: Holly Gillies
Phone: 870.391.3367
Email: hgillies@northark.edu

Services Provided: Screening, Treatment, Education
Counties Served: Boone, Newton

The North Arkansas Partnership for Health Education (NAPHE) was established in 1997 between North Arkansas College (Northark) and North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) to provide health education to the citizens of Northern Arkansas.  In 1998 NAPHE became the 501C3 for the pilot Hometown Health Improvement Project in Arkansas located in Boone County.  UAMS AHEC-NW and The Schmeiding Center for Senior Health joined the partnership in 2002.  NAPHE was originally awarded a Komen Grant in 2007 which it administers through its Community Health Resource Center (CHRC).  The Komen Project is known as Living Healthy: Screenings for Life, an on-going program designed to reach citizens of Boone and Newton Counties using a comprehensive educational, outreach and awareness campaign to increase participation in breast health education classes, Breast Self-Exam Training (BSE) and access to treatment.  Living Healthy: Screenings for Life will continue to partner with Claude Parrish Radiation Treatment Institute (ParRTI) to provide residents with services including breast screening, mammograms and additional diagnostic services and patient advocacy.  Our goal is to reach employees of area businesses, college and high school students, the general public and low-income, underinsured populations by teaching the importance of breast self-exam through public breast health educational programs, Certified Nursing Assistant and Northark Allied Health Programs, area fairs and events, churches, senior centers, breast screening clinics and at the Community Health Resource Center (CHRC). Through our programs area residents will continue to gain knowledge and appreciation for the importance of breast health, breast cancer screening, and breast self-exam, become more aware and increase access of available breast health information, resources and referral systems, and have increased access to treatment including providing a mobile mammography unit.  We also hope to reach more residents as the project continues and awareness grows.