PRESS RELEASE
Tuberculosis Elimination Alliance Awards Mini-Grants to Expand Latent Tuberculosis Infection and Tuberculosis Testing, Screening, Treatment, and Prevention
December 1, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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WASHINGTON—Today, the Tuberculosis Elimination Alliance (TEA), led by the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF), and Stop TB USA, with the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced that it awarded $310,000 to 14 community health organizations serving Asian, Asian American (A/AA), Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) communities and expanding to non-U.S. born Latino American and U.S. born African American communities that are disproportionately impacted by latent TB infection (LTBI) and/or tuberculosis (TB).
TEA is comprised of 15 local partners, including community health centers, community-based organizations, regional and statewide coalitions, health agencies, and academic institutions located in areas with highest TB incidence rates across the continental U.S., Hawai’i, and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. The local partners demonstrate TB and LTBI expertise in community outreach, clinical research, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate testing and treatment for vulnerable A/AA and NH/PI populations.
“Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health care to those who need it most is no easy task. TEA continues to bring together leaders from local coalitions and national partners, as they lend their expertise and foster innovation in addressing the disproportionate impact of LTBI/TB on A/AA and NH/PI communities,” Jeffrey B. Caballero, MPH, executive director of AAPCHO said. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside TEA members and partners to implement innovative and community-centered LTBI/TB prevention and treatment efforts, and to working toward our collective goal of eliminating LTBI/TB inequities in our communities.”
“APIAHF is happy to be able to provide 14 mini grants this year. This is the most we have ever granted out for TB programs. Based on the projects, we are confident that each of the organizations will make an impact in their respective communities.” said Jamila Shipp, C4H Managing Director at Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum.
“These grants play an important role in building the capacity of trusted community-based organizations. The grantees have the expertise to implement strategic programs that will be effective in improving TB-related health outcomes of communities we serve,” said Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, President of the Hepatitis B Foundation.
“This is great news that we have been able to award significant mini-grants to these 14 outstanding front line organizations so that the monies will be spent closest to the highest risks populations for tuberculosis and therefore have the greatest impact in moving toward our ultimate goal of eliminating TB in the US,” Ed Zuroweste, MD, founding member and former chair of STOP TB USA coordinating board said.
“CDC is proud to support TEA’s collaboration with healthcare providers and organizations that serve communities at risk for TB,” said Philip LoBue, MD, FACP, FCCP, Director of CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination. “Engaging new partners is critical to improving health equity and eliminating TB in the United States.”
Today, the TEA offered a third cycle of 14 mini-grant awards totaling $310,000 to community providers that increase awareness and build capacity on LTBI/TB testing and treatment. The newly awarded mini-grant recipients are as follows:
- Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (Springdale, AR)
- Asian Pacific Health Foundation (San Diego, CA)
- Colorado Alliance for Health Equity (Denver, CO)
- Healthy Asians & Pacific Islanders Medical Center (Las Vegas, NV)
- Home of Helping Hand, Inc (Lawrenceville, GA)
- La Maestra Community Health Centers (San Diego, CA)
- Micronesian Islander Community (Oregon)
- Polynesian Association of Alaska (Anchorage, AK)
- Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health (Saint Paul,MN)
- San Diego County Medical Society Foundation, dba Champions for Health (San Diego, CA)
- Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, Inc. (Worcester, MA)
- Southland Integrated Services, INC (Garden Grove, CA)
- Todu Guam Foundation, Ltd. (Tamuning, Guam)
- Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation (Fountain Valley, CA)
TEA, our members, partners, and mini-grantees look forward to building on the progress that we have made so far towards TB elimination.
About the Tuberculosis Elimination Alliance
The TB Elimination Alliance (TEA), led by the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF), and Stop TB USA, with the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a national partnership of community leaders dedicated to eliminating TB and LTBI inequities among Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations through education, raising awareness, and innovation. For more information on TEA, please visit www.tbeliminationalliance.org.
Contact
Kristine Cecile Alarcon, MPH, (510) 671-5054, kalarcon@aapcho.org