Partnership Of African American Churches Inc

THE ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING WHICH INVOLVES BOTH POLICY CHANGE AND PROGRAMMATIC IMPLEMENTATION. PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDE EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION,INTERVENTION AND RECOVERY.

21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS PROVIDE ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES DURING OUT OF SCHOOL TIME HOURS FOR CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS WHO ATTEND HIGH-POVERTY AND LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS MEET STATE AND LOCAL STUDENT STANDARDS IN CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS SUCH AS READING AND MATH; PROGRAMS OFFER A WIDE ARRAY OF ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES THAT COMPLEMENT STUDENTS' REGULAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND OFFER EDUCATIONAL AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE FAMILIES OF PARTICIPATING STUDENTS. STUDENTS RECEIVE ADVANCED STEAM PROGRAMS, SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LEGOS, ROBOTICS, AND COMPUTER CODING. THE ARTS COMPONENT INCLUDES MUSIC, BOTH VOCAL AND INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION AND BALLET.

PEER BASED RECOVERY AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION INITIATIVE - THE PARTNERSHIP OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES (PAAC) IS A LEADER IN TRAINING PEER SUPPORT PROVIDERS IN THE AREA OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE. IN ADDITION PAAC OPERATES A PREVENTION, RECOVERY AND WELLNESS CENTER ON THE WESTSIDE OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA. PAAC EMPLOYS FULL TIME RECOVERY COACHES TO PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE MISUSE DISORDER, HOMELESS, VETERANS AND THOSE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. PAAC ALSO EMPLOYS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST TO WORK WITH THOSE ASSIGNED TO DRUG COURT UNDER THE JUSTICE REINVESTMENT INITIATIVE.IN ADDITION,PAAC HAS ORGANIZED SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION IN A COMMUNITY OF COLOR THAT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN IMPLEMENTING ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES THAT HELP PREVENT YOUTH FROM TAKING DRUGS BEFORE THEY START. THE COALITION IS COMPRISED OF PARENTS, YOUTH, BUSINESS OWNERS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, GOVERNMENT, MEDIA, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND MORE, ALL IMPLEMENTING A FEDERAL DRUG FREE COMMUNITITES SUPPORT GRANT AWARDED BY THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY (ONDCP) AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.

COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS WILL DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT PEOPLE OF COLOR IN WEST VIRGINIA UNLESS RAPID SURGE TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING (AS-NEEDED) ARE DONE IN A WAY THAT REACHES A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THIS AT-RISK POPULATION. AFRICAN AMERICANS, HISPANICS, ASIANS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ACCOUNT FOR 8.72 PERCENT OF THE STATE POPULATION, BUT ALREADY ACCOUNT FOR 23.3 PERCENT OF CONFIRMED CASES. MANY INITIAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CASES IN WEST VIRGINIA ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OUTBREAKS IN CHURCHES. IT HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED BY THE CDC THAT SOCIO-ECONOMIC INEQUITIES AND DISPROPORTIONAL HEALTH DISPARITIES PLACE RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES AT FAR GREATER RISK FOR HIGHER RATES OF CONTRACTION AND THE WORST COMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19. IN WEST VIRGINIA, RISK FACTORS ARE COMPOUNDED BY ISOLATION AND DISTANCE FROM HEALTH CENTERS AND TESTING SITES.TO PREVENT WEST VIRGINIA'S PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM DISPROPORTIONATE RATES OF CONTRACTING, SUFFERING, AND DYING FROM COVID-19. THIS TARGETED COMMUNITY OUTREACH APPROACH IS DESIGNED TO RAPIDLY ACHIEVE SURGE TESTING IN 25 COUNTIES. TEST AT LEAST 20 PERCENT OF INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR IN WV WHO ARE AT HIGHER RISK FOR THE WORST COMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19, WHILE EVALUATING THIS MOBILE-TESTING COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH.

PAAC OPERATES A RADIO STATION THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS AND PROVIDES PROGRAMMING OF INTEREST TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVED BY PAAC.