1997 S Health - UNC-Ch Community Based Public Health Initiative , Phase II

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Community Need and Opportunity The Efland-Cheeks and Cedar Grove communities lie in the rural northern area of Orange County. According to the 1990 census,of the approximately 15,000 residents, 30% are African American. One-third of the population is under the age of nineteen and one-tenth is over sixty-five. One of every three African American children and youth lives in poverty. However,of most importance in describing these communities is recognition-of the strong community spirit and commitment to working together to develop long-term solutions to health issues and concerns. The history of what has been accomplished and present efforts provide an impressive foundation for building effective partnerships and shaping the public health of the area. Living in an area free of fear of violence and crime is a universal.goal- Although one might imagine that accomplishing it would be less of a problem in rural communities,the experience of northern Orange County illustrates that this is not so. Many of the traditional activities and programs developed for urban and suburban settings to reduce the incidence of violence, violent crime,theft, and illicit drug activity have for the most part been ineffective in rural areas. For example,prevention of drug abuse among adolescents is hampered by the illicit drugs available and the isolation of youth from alternative activities in the more populated areas of the county. The effectiveness of these programs are greatly influenced by issues such as a more scattered population,very little lighting(perhaps none) to illuminate roads and streets, and minimal police presence. Residents and law enforcement alike are frustrated by the necessity of having only 1.5 sheriff s deputies to cover the 40 square miles of northern Orange County. It is not uncommon for incidents occurring in other parts of the county to pull 90% of deputies on duty,leaving other areas such as Efland-Cheeks without coverage. This has a profound effect on having a police presence, response time, and ability of officers to participate in community activities. These conditions often contribute to a greater sense of isolation and fear on the part of many rural residents and have . opened the door for increased and widespread illicit drug activity in the Efland-Cheeks and Cedar Grove areas. The Orange County Coalition of the North Carolina Community-Based Public Health Initiative (CBPHI) has used a community-driven approach to define and develop its direction. A major outcome of CBPHI efforts of the Orange County Coalition is the formation of United Voices of Orange County. This group,constituted of citizens from Efland-Cheeks and Cedar Grove, has established priority issues to work on together. Based on priorities developed by residents of the Efland-Cheeks and Cedar Grove communities (through the Community Voices program), the Coalition has facilitated implementation of a minority youth leadership program(Teens in Power), a neighborhood drug patrol (Perry Hills), and a partnership to develop safe recreational areas (United Voices with the Efland-Cheeks School Parent Teacher Organization, School Board, Recreation Department, and the county commissioners). In addition,the Orange County team participating in the Shared Leadership Program has included representatives of all the divisions of the health department along with university and community representation. Building on the work to date,the Orange County Coalition of the North Carolina Community- Based Public Health Initiative requests funding from the Kellogg Foundation to develop a Rural Safe Communities Initiative.