Transforming Heart Health for Black Women in Dane County
At The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, we know that good health isn’t just about doctor visits, it’s about the everyday challenges that affect well-being, like access to healthy food, stable housing, transportation, and stress. That’s why we’ve partnered with Access Community Health Centers to launch The Social Delta, a powerful new model of care designed to improve heart health and eliminate disparities for Black women in Dane County.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women, yet too many don’t receive the care and support they need to prevent and manage conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Black women are more likely to experience barriers to care. Whether it’s a lack of trust in the healthcare system, financial strain, or difficulty accessing resources that support a heart-healthy life. These challenges are called social risk factors, and they have a direct impact on health outcomes.
The Social Delta model is a first-of-its-kind partnership that links community and health systems together to combat heart disease. This uniquely connects the FFBWW’s trusted Community Health Workers directly into ACHC’s medical care teams. FFBWW CHWs play a vital role in bridging healthcare and community support. They accept referrals from ACHC’s population health team, conduct thorough assessments of social risk factors, and develop personalized care plans that connect women to essential community resources. Beyond making connections, CHWs provide ongoing motivation and support to ensure each woman's social needs are met. To strengthen care coordination, CHWs meet bi-weekly with ACHC clinical care leadership and population health teams, sharing insights on social determinants of health outcomes. These contributions deepen providers’ understanding of the challenges Black women face, integrating a more holistic perspective into patient care through the electronic health record system.
By addressing both medical and social needs, The Social Delta is redefining healthcare for Black women. We believe that healthcare should meet women where they are, and that eliminating health disparities starts with listening, supporting, and empowering women to thrive.
This model doesn’t just treat disease, it prevents it! By improving day-to-day quality of life, the Social Delta partnership is setting a new standard for what healthcare should look like, for Black women, for our families, and for our future.
Want to learn more or get connected? Contact us at [insert contact info].
If you are a patient at Access Community Health, ask your primary care physician to be referred.
*This program is an outcome of the 2023 - 2025 partnership grant with the Department of Health Services Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program.
In partnership with Access Community Health Centers
