Live Well Allegheny REACH project brings health resources to priority Black neighborhoods

DR. TIFFANY L. GARY-WEBB In 2018, the Allegheny County Health Dept (ACHD) received a Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to improve health, reduce chronic disease, and make healthcare more equal in Black communities that have the highest rate of existing health inequities. A lot of work had been done before the grant was received to prepare for action. “The work started in 2015 with the Plan for a Healthier Allegheny County,” says University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Tiffany L. Gary-Webb, Associate Dean for DEI, Professor in Epidemiology, and the Associate Director for Pitt’s Center for Health Equity. “It continued for the next three years with a food access and physical activity pilot program.” It also included Dr. Gary-Webb working with ACHD to raise awareness about trends in the county’s racial health disparities in chronic disease. Graphic courtesy of ArcGIS StoryMaps The 2018 REACH grant funded the formation of the Live Well Allegheny (LWA) REACH Coalition. Directed by Dr. Gary-Webb and a leadership team, the coalition was made up of partners — many that had worked together before. They included organizations like Pitt, Just Harvest, the Food Trust, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Healthy Start, the Black...