PAC³ is pleased to be working with the Pennsylvania Department of Health on an initiative entitled: Bringing Evidence-Based Research Initiatives to Disparate Groups with Evaluation (BE A BRIDGE).

The goal of BE A BRIDGE is to improve the health of Pennsylvanians disparately affected by tobacco-related chronic disease.  We will accomplish this by linking the resources of organizations within and across communities, and successfully build capacity across a broad spectrum of organizations.  The BE A BRIDGE Partnership has aligned itself with the Pennsylvania Strategic Plan to Eliminate Tobacco-Related Health Disparities. 

This project is a statewide multi-disciplinary partnership comprised of organizations and professionals working in health, medicine, social and human services, and representing and working with diverse populations.  This project is a unique opportunity to utilize a collaborative approach to build internal capacity for organizations. BE A BRIDGE aims to improve an organization’s capacity to identify, deliver and evaluate population specific evidence-based interventions and best practices to address tobacco related-chronic disease.  

Member organizations will benefit from the following:

• Access to important resources and a comprehensive network of partners;
• Regional summits and interactive workshops focusing on important areas such as grant writing, best practice program implementation, media/marketing, web-base support and web design, policy development, advocacy education and outcomes assessment; and
• Responsive training and technical assistance for work in the areas of tobacco control, chronic disease management and working with diverse populations.

The BE A BRIDGE partnership will work collectively to improve Pennsylvania’s public health infrastructure by increasing the capacity of:

• Local and state governments to identify monitor and evaluate the needs of disparate communities
• Public health service organizations to deliver and evaluate effective population-specific, linguistically appropriate interventions that are evidence-based and/or follow best practice guidelines

Principal and key partners include:

• Health Promotion Council of Southeastern PA
• Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium (PAC³)
• Philadelphia Health Management Corporation, Research and Evaluation Department
• University of Pennsylvania and its EXPORT collaborative partner Cheyney University

Consultant partners include:

• Congresso
• Mazzoni Center
• National Ministries ABCUSA
• National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC)
• NPower PA
• Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition (SEAMAAC)

Resource partners include:

• American Cancer Society
• American Heart Association
• American Lung Association
• National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service - Atlantic Region

The BE A BRIDGE partnership works in a coordinated effort with:

• PA Department of Health
• PA State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) partners
• Steps to a Healthier PA grantees

In addition, many PAC³ member organizations are actively participating in the BE A BRIDGE partnership through Regional Advisory Councils, Summits, Workshops.

For more information about the BE A BRIDGE Partnership Project or to become a invloved, please check the website www.beabridge.org or call Ashley Steeples at 412.623.2559 or steeplesae@upmc.edu.

Resources:

BE A BRIDGE Western PA Summit Syllabus and Presentations