On Thursday, April 27, 2023, Jasilyn Morgan, Dr. Sheryl Brissett Chapman, Ralph Belk and Krystal Holland, of The National Center for Children and Families, will present a workshop Going Upstream: Cultural Networking with a Community to Serve the Health Needs of Black Families at the Child Welfare League of America’s (CWLA) 2023 National Conference in Washington, DC.
The presentation details NCCF’s implementation of a community-based initiative in Montgomery County, Maryland, the Black Physicians and Health Care Network (BPHN), originally established to thwart the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on families across the African Diaspora (i.e., African American, African, and Caribbean). A network of 60 cross-sector community partners evolved into an effective, equity driven, one-stop health innovation that continues to connect insured, underinsured, and uninsured Black families with Black healthcare providers who understand the significance of culture in providing healthcare, while adapting to meet family needs within their respective community context, and demonstrating commitment to timely, quality responsiveness.
The BPHN’s timely and critical response is supported by research data demonstrating Black families’ experiences with ongoing health disparities, exposure to institutional racism, and inadequate health and mental health services. The session includes data collected and assessed regarding access to and utilization of medical, dental, mental health supports, access to primary care providers, insurance, and the assessment and provision of linkages to community resources. Additionally, the workshop materials include input and testimonials from Black families who received culturally tailored resource navigation, medical services, mental health services, COVID testing and vaccination, and food insecurity resources/benefits from the cross-system community network.
“We are honored to be selected by the CWLA to present on this first-of-its kind model, during a national crisis.” says Dr. Sheryl Brissett Chapman, NCCF Executive Director. “Sharing the success of the BPHN with a national audience allows us to highlight our dynamic approach to mobilizing a network of partners and provides concrete evidence that investment in an equitable, tailored, health engagement model increases access and utilization of medical and mental health services and links Black people to essential community resources, while stabilizing those families who need it most.”
