Clinton College in South Carolina has been granted $3.5 million to create a wellness and community health institute to address health disparities in Rock Hill City’s most vulnerable areas.
Awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, the grant will allow the institution to focus on improving healthcare services, bolster health literacy and responses to COVID-19.
“The true outcome is to improve the quality of life and length of life,” Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said. “This could change the lives of people in our communities and that’s going to happen because people stood up in the community and said we can do better than what we have in the past.”
One of the objectives of the multimillion-dollar investment is to increase resident participation in projects and practices that promote health literacy and healthy behavior. Trainings will help people understand basic health information and make the right health choices.
The initiative will also seek to increase community engagement in the planning, design, and evaluation of health improvement projects. “The intent of this goal is to reach populations and uncover strategies for impact and sustainability beyond the current crisis,” Clinton stated in a press release.
Educating People
Clinton President Rev. Lester A. McCorn explained that the plan is intended to improve existing health services in Rock Hill and review how they are being used in everyday lives.
He also emphasized the importance of raising awareness regarding health and safety protocols and assuring that people will receive the right healthcare services.
“There are gaps in information and education. It’s really about educating people about what’s available to them,” McCorn told Rock Hill Herald. “It’s not that there aren’t health services, it’s that people don’t know, or don’t know how to access them. There are barriers… that are keeping people from getting to the services and resources that they need.”
Healthier Lifestyles
Gettys believes that the $3.5 million grant given to Clinton will help people develop healthier lifestyles than ever before. He also said a community cannot become better if it remains unhealthy.
“We will see a lot of good come out of this. It will continue to bring us closer together as a community,” the mayor said.