HR 90: Several churches for their work with Project Elevation; commend

House Resolution 90

By: Representatives Greene of the 154th, Yearta of the 152nd, Cheokas of the 151st, Taylor of the 173rd, and Campbell of the 171st

A RESOLUTION

Commending several churches for their work with Project Elevation; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Project Elevation is a faith-based community-driven health promotion and prevention program that serves the health care needs of rural communities in Southwest Georgia; and

WHEREAS, a community health worker is a community-based front line public health worker who is a trusted member, or has an unusually close understanding, of the community served who builds relationships and capacity for health and well-being in underserved areas; and

WHEREAS, this trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison, link, or intermediary between health and social services and the community, facilitate access to services, improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery, build individual and community capacity, and increase health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, community health workers are a cross-sector workforce that connects community members to health care and other social services, reducing barriers to health and well-being; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation has met the goals of improving health literacy, giving participants the power to take their health care decisions into their own hands and make informed decisions, assisting in navigating health care, and working to provide meaningful community-based participatory research; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation trained and enlisted 100 community health workers (identified as Health Champions), using 25 local churches from seven counties throughout Southwest Georgia; and

WHEREAS, the program conducts monthly sessions held at each of the 25 churches; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation has screened 945 men for prostate cancer since 2022; and

WHEREAS, these screenings have resulted in identifying 7 percent of the respondents with an elevated PSA of 4.0 or above as well as several individuals who were diagnosed with prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation also served as a conduit to connect 32 percent of the participants with an elevated PSA to a primary care physician who did not have a provider prior to the diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, the examination of these participants provided important information on the Social Determinants of Health for the participants with an elevated PSA, which helped address their risk factors; and

WHEREAS, participants with an elevated PSA were also screened for colorectal and lung cancers; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation has been instrumental in saving lives and having a positive impact on the health outcomes of men in its community; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation provides health information, fresh fruits and vegetables from local community gardens, a large hen, and grooming services to each participant; and

WHEREAS, Project Elevation was highlighted at the 2023 Georgia Cancer Summit.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend Mt. Zion Baptist Church and its senior pastor, Rev. Dr. Pastor Daniel Simmons, for their vision to improve health status and health outcomes, advance efforts in health education, and promote health participation for men in Southwest Georgia.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body recognize the Albany Coalition of Churches, which includes faith houses in Dougherty, Mitchell, Sumter, Terrell, and Calhoun counties; Phoebe Putney Health Systems and its president and CEO, Scott Steiner, for their strong community support in providing clinical services; and the Morehouse School of Medicine for its ongoing efforts to train community health workers in the Albany community.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body honor the Samaritan Clinic for serving as a catchment clinic for those unable to secure services, Albany Cares for providing meals and other essential support to community members, and Grooming Gods for their commitment to offering grooming services as part of comprehensive health and wellness support for men participating in Project Elevation. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press.