Lumbee Tribe Receives State Funding to Address Chronic Disease

Lumbee Tribe Receives State Funding to Address Chronic Disease

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina recently received a two-year, $480,000 grant for its Changing Lifestyles, Living Longer Program funded by the NC Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Minority Heath and Health Disparities (OMHHD) to address chronic disease in the areas of cancer, diabetes and obesity. This new continuation funding from the Community Focused Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative (CFEHDI) was created and funded by the NC general assembly in 2005 to close the gap in health disparities among minorities in NC. The Tribe has received this funding since 2005 to address various health issues to include homicide and motor vehicle deaths.

The Lumbee Tribe is one of twelve organizations in North Carolina to receive funding, and the only organization specifically targeting American Indians living in Robeson, Scotland, Hoke and Cumberland counties. This funding allows the Tribe to continue addressing the health care needs of its tribal membership through community health education community, medical home referral services, and a lay leader training program. The program partners with Robeson Health Care Corporation to refer tribal members to a medical home and to help the uninsured and UNC Pembroke Department of Nursing faculty to teach, and the Area Council on Aging to train lay health leaders.

The Changing Lifestyles, Living Longer program is under the direction of Kathy Woriax, located at 171 ComTech Drive Bldg. 57A, Suite A in Pembroke, NC. For more information, call 910-521-5580.