West Georgia Chronic Disease Initiative

Topics	Wellness
States served	Georgia
Description	The West Georgia Chronic Disease Initiative (WGCDI) is a community-based treatment, management, and prevention program targeting citizens in Carroll, Haralson, and Heard counties in rural West Georgia. WGCDI was formed initially in 2001 as a broad partnership with more than 70 local participants and was prompted in part by the results of two community health assessments, which indicated a prevalence of risk factors associated with diabetes and hypertension. Currently, the Initiative has now formed a rural health consortium to guide the program's continued growth and development. The consortium proposes to expand existing protocol for patients with diabetes and hypertension, and add programs targeting asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Increases in county's general population and the "aging" of the area's population have led to an increased need for these services.
Services offered	The expanded West Georgia Chronic Disease Initiative will serve individuals who currently suffer from diabetes, hypertension, asthma or COPD, or who are at risk for these diseases. The program will place a special emphasis on low-income, uninsured, and underserved individuals, including the community's growing minority populations. Specific target populations include 72 percent Caucasian, 25 percent African American, 2 percent Hispanic, and less than 1 percent Asian.
Replication	Members of the West Georgia Chronic Disease Initiative Consortium include the Tanner Medical Foundation (Applicant/lead agency), Carroll, Haralson and Heard County Health Departments, Haralson, Heard, Carrollton City and Bremen City Schools Systems, the Center for Allergy and Asthma of West Georgia, Dr. Sandra Stone of the State University of West Georgia, the American Lung Association of Georgia, and the Tallatoona Economic Opportunity Authority.
Source	Rural Health Outreach Grantee Directory, 2006
Contact person	Kristie Dunson Tanner Medical Foundation 99 Doctor's Drive Carrollton, Georgia 30117 Phone: (770) 836-9282 Fax: (770) 838-8110 Email: kdunson@tanner.org
Date added	January 11, 2007

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