CHCC among 5 chosen sites for pilot study

The CNMI has been chosen to participate in a pilot study program of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.

Among the areas in the region, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. was chosen to be among the five participants of the “Second Decade Community Planning Guide Project.”

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, this guide has been developed to provide a framework to help community leaders build adolescent-healthy communities.

“We are excited to be partnering with you on this important project to improve the health and well-being of adolescents and young people in your communities and beyond,” Region X health administrator and rear admiral assistant surgeon-general Dr. Patrick O’Carroll said in a letter to Amber Mendiola of the CHCC-Division of Public Health-NCD Bureau and Let’s Move Marianas Alliance/Youth Empowerment Alliance for Health.

The guide is intended to be used to produce a clear, coherent, multi-strategy community plan for promoting health and healthy development among that community’s young people. It allows for each community to consider and include needs, gaps, and resources that are unique to their community.

“This is important for the CNMI for several reasons. We are the only jurisdiction that was chosen, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) recognizes the CNMI’s commitment and concern for adolescent health, and we get the opportunity to participate in a plan that will be shared with health programs and departments in the U.S. nation,” Mendiola said.

OASH said the CNMI site was selected for the project because of its “commitment to working in your community and interest in strengthening your strategies for working with young people 10-20 years of age.”

Aside from CHCC, health centers in Davenport, Iowa, Fulton Country, Georgia, Lima, Ohio, and Beaumont, Texas will also take part in the project.

Mendiola said their initiatives have sparked the interest from OASH’s contracted research and evaluation firm for the project, ICF International.

​“I provided information about the Let’s Move Marianas Alliance and the Youth Empowerment Alliance for Health, also known as Team YEAH. This sparked much interest from the representatives from ICF International.. They believed that the CNMI could act as an inspiration for many counties because we are doing so much for adolescent health with limited resources,” Mendiola said.

CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muna said they are proud of Mendiola’s leadership and are grateful for the recognition.

“We’re very proud of Amber’s leadership in both YEAH and Let’s Move Marianas campaign and we appreciate the Dept. of Health & Human Services Region IX for recognizing this and recommending that we are included in the pilot study. Even with limited resources, CHCC makes things happen and this is just one of many projects that are successful because of the commitment of our staff in bringing good health to our people,” Muna said.

“We are extremely happy to have been chosen and can’t wait to begin this project,” Mendiola added.