Background Statement
The Center for African-American Health (CAA Health) was established in 2005. CAA Health evolved from the health programming of the Metro Denver Black Church Initiative, in 1996, which for more than a decade collaborated with black churches to offer health programs throughout the Black/African American community, as well as programs for youth in high risk situations, academically struggling students, and formerly incarcerated individuals.
The Center for African American Health focuses on improving the health and well-being of Black/African Americans because they suffer from much higher rates of illness, disability and premature death from diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease due to persistent racial inequities. To change that, CAA Health provides a variety of disease prevention and chronic disease self-management programs targeting the 235,692 Blacks/African Americans living in Colorado.
CAA Health's Northeast Park Hill neighborhood community hub is the center for its collaborations with a wide range of community organizations to offer a host of evidence-based health education and health promotion programs. Volunteers -- medical and non-medical -- are an integral part of the organization and participate in training and certification in order to assist in the delivery of the programs and services throughout the year.
The Center for African American Health is also active in bringing about systemic change through coalition building, advocating for system reforms through public policy focused on disease prevention and reducing health disparities for the Black/African American community.