Community Initiatives

Cancer Screening & Prevention Program

Colorectal Cancer

  • In this multiethnic colorectal cancer screening improvement project funded by the California Dialogue on Cancer, we are implementing a two-pronged evidenced-based intervention: 1) community clinic-driven to increase the use of annual fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) for average-risk screening in settings serving patients with limited healthcare coverage and 2) media-driven to increase public FIT awareness.
  • Screen to Save (S2S) is a nationwide initiative funded by the National Cancer Institute that aims to increase life-saving colorectal cancer screening rates in racially and ethnically diverse communities.  People age 50 and older from racially and ethnically diverse communities have lower screening rates than the general population. The Screen to Save program provides tailored education in-language via in-person or virtual capacity and conducts outreach that increases access to resources for those who are disproportionately affected by colorectal cancer. The program collaborates with a diverse partner network (ie. FQHCs, clinics, community organizations, etc.) to deliver colorectal cancer screening education, information and promotes colorectal cancer screening and access to care.

Prostate
The Community-based Prostate Cancer Screening Program works with COE to leverage community partnerships to provide free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests to at-risk NHB and H/L men from low-income, uninsured families in City of Hope’s catchment area. Since 2017, the program has provided PSA blood tests to over 1,000 men to detect disease at an early and curable stage. The program is supported by the COE team, volunteers and licensed phlebotomists. Screenings are administered to target populations at health education events co-sponsored with community-based organizations (Second Baptist Church), local media (KJLH, KKLA), and community clinics such as QueensCare Clinics. Individuals are given health education about prostate cancer and the blood test before the PSA test is administered.
 
HPV
Our COE collaborated with our Promotora partners to increase HPV vaccination in our catchment area. We developed the curriculum using various evidence-based sources. Our approach includes the following milestones

  • Focus on community-based engagement with trusted partners
  • Provide credible and evidence-based information
  • Inform communities of disparate outcomes in communities of color and be transparent.
  • Approach vaccine hesitancy with compassion, understanding; Validate and listen to concerns
  • Reduce barriers in vaccine access

Promotoras provide HPV education sessions and provide vaccine navigation. They provide referrals to local free clinics, appointment assistance, reminder calls for appointments, and follow-up calls to confirm vaccination.

CHE
NON seeks to strengthen NCI’s ability to develop and disseminate culturally appropriate, evidence-based cancer information that is tailored to the specific needs and expectations of underserved communities, working through NON-community health educators located at NCI-designated Cancer Centers. NON’s goals are to: Enhance NCI’s cancer health disparities research efforts through local and regional culturally tailored education/outreach within underserved communities; Enhance NCI’s ability to disseminate culturally appropriate, evidence-based cancer information to underserved communities; and adapt and test culturally tailored education/ outreach activities that address local and regional cancer health disparities issues.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) Model

The Training of Trainers (ToT) model is intended to engage master trainers in coaching new trainers that are less experienced with a particular topic or skill, or with training overall. A ToT workshop can build a pool of competent instructors who can then teach the material to other people. Instead of having just one trainer who teaches a course for a long time, there are multiple trainers teaching the same course at the same time in the ToT model. This means a new participant typically gets to watch an experienced trainer teach, complete the exercises, and then practice teaching segments to other participants. The master trainer and trainer participants should use the CDC Professional Development (PD) Best Practices. 

Tobacco Cessation

The City of Hope C3I Tobacco Cessation Program team is committed to building a community of health care providers, researchers, patients, families and diverse communities to support tobacco cessation as a standard part of cancer care for all patients and as a priority for health promotion and wellness. It is the fourth pillar of best cancer care, besides surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.
 
The C3I Tobacco Cessation Program offers tobacco use assessment, in-person and/or telehealth individual counseling, and Rapid Action Plan for relapses. We will support you with proper cessation medications to overcome withdrawal symptoms/cravings, behavioral strategies to break habits that trigger smoking, strategic problem solving, and social support to boost your chance of success.