Salisbury, MD — Last month, the Maryland Rural Health Association (MRHA) presented the Outstanding Rural Health Program Award to TidalHealth’s REACH (Rural Equity and Access to Community Health) program for improving chronic disease management and reducing hospital admissions on the Lower Eastern Shore.
“The REACH program is a powerful example of innovation and collaboration making a real difference in rural communities,” said Jonathan Dayton, MRHA Executive Director. “We are proud to recognize TidalHealth Peninsula Regional for improving access and health outcomes for some of Maryland’s most underserved residents.”
The REACH program partners with local hospitals, health departments, community organizations, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to prevent and reduce diabetes and hypertension among Black and Haitian residents in rural Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties through culturally competent care, nutrition and transportation support, remote monitoring, and community-focused lifestyle programs.
“The REACH program is the product of a community coalition united by a shared vision,” said Kat Rodgers, Ed.D., MPH, TidalHealth Director of Community Health Initiatives. “Our goal is to empower residents in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods across the Lower Eastern Shore to co-create systems that improve access to care and strengthen health literacy, ensuring everyone has an equitable opportunity to achieve their best possible quality of life.”
The REACH program is funded by TidalHealth through a grant from the Maryland General Assembly as part of the Maryland Health Equity Resource Act. Grant funding is administered by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC). For more information, visit https://health.maryland.gov/mchrc/Pages/herc.aspx. The views presented here are those of the grantee and not necessarily those of the Commission, its Commissioners, or its staff.
To learn more about the REACH program, visit tidalhealth.org/reach or call TidalHealth’s Community Wellness Department at 410-543-7558.
