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South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - www.scdhec.gov

• Minority Health

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Faith Partnerships

• Faith and Health Partnership Grant
  In 2005, the Office of Minority Health (OMH) received funding for a five year statewide faith and health partnership initiative. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. The Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina (BEMC) is DHEC's primary partner in the initiative, but there are many other participating churches.                  
• The partnerships will focus on developing or enhancing health ministries to improve the health of minority congregations. Improvements will be accomplished through health promotion/education and expanded access to care. The funding wil also help pay for a statewide data collection system to help DHEC measure the success of the initiative. To see a list of all partners, click here (pdf).
• The First Annual Faith and Health Capacity-Building Leadership Institute was held at First Calvary Baptist Church in Columbia on February 16 - 17, 2007. Click the links below to learn more about the Institute.
  • Alliance for African American Faith-Based Health Initiatives (pdf)
  • Faith and Health Capacity-Building Leadership Institute (FHCBLI) (pdf)
  • FHCBLI Registration Brochure (pdf)
  • FHCBLI Agenda (pdf)    
• DHEC/AMEC (African Methodist Episcopal Church) Partnership
  DHEC's Office of Minority Health also helped the state's AME churches write an AMEC Strategic Health Plan.  This comprehensive plan defines goals and strategies that the chuch will use to address health disparities and other health issues.

• Protect Your Body…Your Temple
  DHEC has partnered with African-American churches to use church bulletin inserts to educate people on important health topics. The bulletin inserts address six health problems that disproportionately affect African-Americans.  The inserts cover cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke), cancer (breast and prostate), diabetes, HIV/AIDS, infant mortality and adult immunizations. To order any or all of the bulletin inserts, please click here (pdf). A list of nationally recognized health observances (pdf) is also available to help you decide when to hand out the inserts.