Center for Health Equity

 Greensboro Latino Project ~ Greensboro, FL
March 2015 to Present
Dr. Lopez and her team administered surveys to the Hispanic community within the city of Greensboro, FL (which is outside of Tallahassee) with the goal of assessing the health status and giving them resources as well as health perspectives within the community. This survey took place from March – June of 2015 and the results are being calculated.

National Diabetes Prevention Program ~ Tallahassee, FL
July 2015 to Present
Dr. Kirksey was certified from the CDC within the area of Diabetes.  As a result, he has started a 16 week session with current FAMU employees to help with healthy eating and starting physical activity.  This started in July of 2015 and is ongoing.  He will start a second cohort in Sept of 2015.

Bond/Neighborhood Community Centers
CHE assist both centers with FAMU’s Pharmacy and Public Health students.  This partnership with the college and the centers is great for both sides.  The students are gaining valuable work experience within the healthcare field, while the citizens at these centers are receiving first class medical care.

National Diabetes Prevention Program – Dr. Otis Kirksey
• FAMU CHE has entered into a contractual agreement with Solera Health to deliver the National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Program to State workers in the Tallahassee area.  The National Diabetes Prevention Program is an evidenced-based lifestyle change program for preventing type 2 Diabetes. The program’s curriculum is based on research results from the Diabetes Prevention Trial that was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The research results demonstrated that making certain lifestyle changes and continuing them over time can prevent type 2 diabetes in people who are at risk.

Florida Blue Health Insurance – Dr. Otis Kirksey
• Under the agreement, CHE will deliver the year long lifestyle intervention program to state workers at several locations throughout the Tallahassee area.  The enrollment fee, for state workers who meet the program’s criteria, will be covered by the Florida Blue Health Insurance.

Diabetes Training and Technical Assistance Center – Dr. Otis Kirksey
• Early last year, CHE researchers, led by Dr. Otis Kirksey, were certified as Lifestyle Coaches by Emory University’s Diabetes Training and Technical Assistance Center.  Shortly afterwards, the CHE received Pending Recognition status as an organization that delivers the Diabetes Prevention Curriculum.  Currently, the CHE is the only agency in the Big Bend area that listed on the CDC’s registry.

WCRx Medical Consultants – Dr. Jovan Miles
• FAMU COPPS and WCRx Medical Consultants provide Chronic Care Management (CCM) solutions to eradicate health disparities within underserved communities. Direct-patient care responsibilities provided, enhance access and continuity of care for patients, as well as train pharmacy students to clinically and interprofessional practice in communities in need.

AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) – Dr. Jovan Miles
• The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is a statewide prescription drug program, funded by Part B of the Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act. FAMU COPPS will oversee the distribution of pharmaceutical care, for the patients served by Leon County. In conjunction with the Leon County Health Department, FAMU COPPS pharmacist initiate interventions to decrease disparities seen in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Care Continuum, by targeting pharmacotherapy, dispensing, adherence issues, and laboratory monitoring.

HIV/AIDS Project – Dean Thompson Information is up coming.

La Salud Latina de Greensboro Project – Dr.Ivette Lopez

• The health inequities of Hispanic/Latino populations are a research priority of importance. This is a critical barrier to public health’s philosophy of social justice, and one of the highest ranked research areas of focus by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). The La Salud Latina de Greensboro study addressed a critical barrier to progress in the field of public health: the lack of health assessment data that focuses on health inequities of Hispanic/Latino populations, in particular in rural communities. The study objectives of this Community Assessment were two-fold: to measure, describe and understand community lifestyles of a Hispanic/Latino population in Greensboro Town, FL to develop capacity for community based participatory research; and to educate students and health professionals concerning the health inequities of Hispanics/Latinos by involving them in data collection and analysis. In order to meet the primary objectives of the study, the investigators established and maintained constant dialogue between faculty, students, health professionals, and lay community members to develop culturally humble and useful instruments for collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. These instruments will be administered to members of the Hispanic community within Greensboro, FL with the goal of assessing the health status and resources as well as health perspectives within the community. This dialogue will continue in order to produce relevant and functional information that can later be used for multiple interventions, including but not limited to the production of training materials for future researchers, training interventions of public health professionals serving this population, and for the community to seek funding for their programs.

IPERT Grant – Dr. Shawn Spencer
• This project brings together a long-standing need for Minority Serving Institutions to better fulfill their leading role in creating a strong and inclusive biomedical workforce. FAMU currently trains Master’s degrees in Molecular Cellular Biology, and Community Psychology as well as Doctorate degrees in Pharmacology, Public Health, Pharmacoepidemiology / Health Outcomes, Environmental Toxicology, Biomedical Engineering and Drug Delivery.  Despite ranking among the top producers of black doctoral degree recipients in life sciences, our success in the contribution of independent investigators from biomedically and educationally underserved populations has been low.  Increasing the quality of research education and the development of trainees in our research community is a top priority of the PI and our institution.  This application maps our path forward to meet this challenge (in this application, “biomedical” refers to biological, behavioral, social, clinical, and environmental health sciences).

PHI LAMBDA SIGMA PHARMACY LEADERSHIP SOCIETY

The Joshua Hillman Health Initiative is a health outreach initiative focused on educating students, families and community on health awareness and prevention. Its inception was prompted, nearly nine years ago, after the tragic loss of Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. A student,  Joshua Hillman. Mr. Hillman’s death was attributed to diabetic complications, which could have been prevented with early detection and treatment. With a mission to serve as a resource for health education and prevention, and the goal of preventing premature deaths in our community, the members of Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society have set out to change the dynamics of health disparities in Tallahassee. JHHI provides free health screenings and information on various health resources available in the community. Each year JHHI continues to grow, expanding its outreach and influence to decrease the incidence of preventable deaths, caused by health disparities. Dental, Blood Pressure, Bone Density, A1C/ Blood Glucose, Cholesterol, HIV/STD,  BMI and many more.

2015 Clinical Pharmacy Seminar

The Center for Health Equity within the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and its Division of Continuing Pharmacy Education is committed to life-long learning, and we are excited about the engaging topics that have been prepared for you with emphasis placed on health equity.  The Annual Jacksonville Clinical Pharmacy Seminar sponsored by the Center for Health Equity entitled, “Managing Cardiovascular Health in the Underserved Population.” Such lectures will be discussed: Cardiovascular health disparities and their impact in the community; describe collaborative practice models targeting the promotion of Cardiovascular health and wellness in underserved populations; demonstrate the relationship with current standing with respect to Health People 2020 goals pertinent to the provision of optimal Cardiovascular care to patients; and Counsel/Advise patients regarding the availability of services and programs designed to reduce Cardiovascular health disparities. These topics should prove to be extremely informative and useful in your everyday life.

2016 Clinical Pharmacy Symposium

The Center for Health Equity within the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and its Division of Continuing Pharmacy Education is committed to life-long learning, and we are excited about the engaging topics that have been prepared for you with emphasis placed on health equity.  The 39^th Annual Clinical Pharmacy Symposium and the 65^th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff sponsored by the Center for Health Equity entitled, “Substance Abuse: Challenges in the Underserved Community.” Such lectures will be discussed: Social Determinants of Substance Abuse Impact of Substance Abuse on Family, Communities, and self; Review of Common Drugs of Abuse: Community Perspectives; Prescription Drug Abuse; Alcohol: Use, Abuse and Health Considerations in Underserved Communities; Marijuana: Pharmacologic and Abuse Considerations – Where are we Now; Marijuana: Therapeutic Uses and Legal Considerations; Cocaine: The Social and Economic; Incarceration and Substance Use; Illicit Drug; Substance Use Challenges: Community; Mental Health and Substance Abuse and a Panel Discussion: Creating a plan of Action for Underserved Communities dealing with health disparities. These topics should prove to be extremely informative and useful in your everyday life.

2016 ~ 65^th Anniversary Celebration

The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is committed to life-long learning, and we are excited about the engaging topics that have been prepared for you with emphasis placed on health equity.  The 65^th Anniversary Celebration within the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences was planned from August 25-27, 2016.

Such lectures will be discussed: Social Determinants of Substance Abuse Impact of Substance Abuse on Family, Communities, and self; Review of Common Drugs of Abuse: Community Perspectives; Prescription Drug Abuse; Alcohol: Use, Abuse and Health Considerations in Underserved Communities; Marijuana: Pharmacologic and Abuse Considerations – Where are we Now; Marijuana: Therapeutic Uses and Legal Considerations; Cocaine: The Social and Economic; Incarceration and Substance Use; Illicit Drug; Substance Use Challenges: Community; Mental Health and Substance Abuse and a Panel Discussion: Creating a plan of Action for Underserved Communities dealing with health disparities. These topics should prove to be extremely informative and useful in your everyday life. 

2017 Clinical Pharmacy Symposium

The 40^th Annual Clinical Pharmacy Symposium sponsored by the Center for Health Equity entitled, “Achieving Health Equity through Interprofessional Care: Focus on U.S. Veterans” was held during February 24-26, 2017.   The Veterans Health Administration has expressed their vision to provide appropriate individualized health care to each veteran in a way that eliminates disparate health outcomes and assures health equity.

The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and its Division of Continuing Pharmacy Education is committed to life-long learning, and we are excited about the engaging topics that have been prepared for you with emphasis placed on our military veterans.  Such lectures as: “Clinical Role of Pharmacists to Improve Health in Veterans;” “Substance Abuse;” “Stress Management;” “Health Consequences of Chemical and Biological Exposure;” “Homeless;” just to name a few.

Women and Condoms Project ~ Tallahassee, FL
Fall Term 2016
The Women and Condom Project is partnering with the Florida Dept. of Health. This project will focus on how men perceive women who have their own condoms.  Is it acceptable for women to have one condom or what if the female have several condoms?   Will this change the perception of her from a male view point?  These are some of the questions that will be asked.  We will start this project very soon in the spring term of 2016.