CTAC, who has been working since 2020 to rally faith leaders in this effort, is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit whose mission is to be a voice and improve lives for the 12 million people impacted by serious illness, including their families and caregivers.

Effort tackles health care barriers

With CTAC support, the Trager Institute’s Louisville Community of Care Project – Community Health Worker Initiative to Promote Health Equity (LCCP-CHWPHE) was launched earlier this year with funding from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky to address health disparities in this vulnerable 40203 zip code.

“LCCP is a collaborative effort of more than 15 community partners assembling their collective resources,” said Barbara Gordon, director of community engagement at the Trager Institute. “The church, major hospitals, and community resources are joining forces for the greater good of the people.”

This pilot program employs a dedicated neighborhood community health worker whose aim is to enhance the quality of life for residents through care navigation and community-based support. LCCP’s goal is to enroll 100 residents into the program by the end of 2025. So far, the initiative has offered health screenings and fairs to offer information and resources for 40203 residents.

Connecting the public to resources

Selected for her new role in June 2024 from her paraprofessional community health worker apprenticeship program at Trager Institute, LCCP coordinator Charlie Bell works as a liaison and advocate to improve access to primary care, support early diagnosis, reduce ER visits and address social determinants of health for clients.

With neighborhood input, factors like food, transportation and housing were identified as the most pressing hurdles to health care access and other quality of life issues. LCCP has gathered health care, business and nonprofit partners who can span the spectrum of social services. 

As the point of contact and liaison to connect patients to resources, Bell explained there needs to be more “warm handoffs.”

“We may do a referral through an electronic medical record like MyChart but if it’s someone who doesn’t have an internet connection or doesn’t know how to use the computer, it’s a huge barrier. If we didn’t have the community of care project, then this would never be brought to light.”

Faith leaders fill the trust gap

Historically, one of the biggest challenges for community outreach efforts has been residents’ distrust of health care providers, according to Bell, but leveraging the community’s established relationships with faith leaders is helping to mitigate that factor.

Bell is working with Elder Angela Overton and faith project leads Rev. Dr. Angela Johnson, Rev. Lance West and Pastor Alma Wooley to keep 40203 residents from falling through the cracks of health care and social services access.

Overton, community engagement director for LCCP, and senior advisor and director of Faith Community Partnerships for CTAC said they hand-picked local faith leaders already working beyond the church walls in the local community. “No matter what your religion or if you have a religion, if you are struggling to navigate life with illness or chronic disease, we want to help you.”

The challenge of health inequities

An important overall framework for LCCP identifies stress and health inequities among African Americans, a key demographic of the 40203-zip code. Bell uses this context to address the social determinants of health while working to dismantle structural barriers that perpetuate health disparities.

“We’re still dealing with access to health care issues, mistrust in medical staff and discrimination like we did in the ‘60s and ‘70s,” said Bell. “It’s surprising that these things are still happening in 2025.”

As a strategic planner, Overton works at the intersection of health care, spiritual care and clinical care, and said she has been shocked at the apathy she has seen in some community settings. “The system does not work for everyone, and the disheartening message I hear in boardrooms and executive meetings is that is just how it is,” said Overton. “But this project from the beginning has made profound impacts on this community.”  Increasing a neighborhood’s access to health care changes lives, adds Bell.

“What may seem like a simple fix or a few phone calls can change the world for a client. Getting an electric wheelchair to someone who was bedridden for three years changed the mobility for one client. She told me, ‘You saved my life, thank you for saving my life’ – you can’t get any higher than that,” Bell said.

LCCP community partners include:

AARP, Accessia Health, Archangels, CenterWell, Chrysalis Ventures, Gilda’s Club, KIPDA, Norton Healthcare, University of Louisville, University of Louisville Trager Institute.

UofL News talked with fourth-year UofL medical student Sierra Shockley about her commitment to addressing health disparities as a Health and Social Justice Scholar (HSJS). Recently selected by the American Lung Association to represent the organization at Respiratory Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., Shockley met with legislators to address disparities in lung health. Her ongoing advocacy work as a HSJS gave her the chance to not only represent the American Lung Association, but also the University of Louisville.

UofL News: Tell us about your involvement with the Health and Social Justice Scholar (HSJS) program.

Shockley: The mission of this program focuses on addressing health care disparities and promoting equity within underserved populations, which aligns perfectly with my deep-rooted commitment to give back to every community I have the privilege of serving.

What truly excites me about this program is its emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering partnerships between students from various professional and doctoral programs, all working together to tackle the most pressing health inequities. Participating in this program has also challenged me to reflect on my role as a future physician, not just in treating patients but in advocating for systemic change.

UofL News: Why is it so important to address health disparities?

Shockley:  Health disparities are not just medical problems—they are societal and reflect deep-rooted inequalities that need to be confronted if we are to create a more just and equitable health care system. It’s about making sure that healthcare is fair and accessible to all, no matter where people live or who they are.

It’s a stark reality that something as simple as a zip code can determine a person’s health outcomes, with life expectancy sometimes varying by more than ten years within just a 20-30-mile locational difference. This geographic inequality is just one example of how pervasive and alarming health disparities are. For instance, people of certain racial or ethnic backgrounds are more likely to face higher rates of morbidity and mortality for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma, simply because of the systemic barriers that exist in their communities.

UofL Health: How can health equity be advanced through community participatory research?

Shockley: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) involves engaging the communities affected by health disparities in every step of the process, from identifying the problems to developing solutions. CBPR allows for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to tackling disparities, creating interventions that are both culturally relevant and practically applicable. This approach also helps ensure that the research is actionable, impactful, and sustainable while fostering a sense of trust and ownership within the community as they see that their voices and lived experiences are being valued in the research process.

UofL News: Tell me about your experience in Washington D.C. What was your biggest takeaway?

Shockley: My experience standing for the University of Louisville in Washington D.C. was both inspiring and transformative. The biggest takeaway was the profound impact that storytelling and personal narratives can have when advocating for change. While data and research are crucial, it’s often the emotional and human aspects of a story that resonate most with lawmakers.

This experience also highlighted the power of collaboration—whether it’s with fellow advocates, policymakers, or health care professionals. By working together, we were able to amplify our voices and drive home the importance of lung health on a broader scale.

UofL News: How do you plan to use your research/knowledge about health disparities in your medical career/practice?

Shockley: I am fortunate to be working with Dr. Scott Bickel and Dr. Rose Hawkins on a project analyzing the impact of urban greening on asthma exacerbations and related health outcomes. By studying how urban green spaces can mitigate asthma symptoms and improve respiratory health, I am gaining valuable insight into how environmental justice is tied to health equity, and this knowledge will undoubtedly influence how I approach patient care.

As a future surgeon, knowing many underserved communities face significant barriers to accessing surgical care, I hope to focus part of my career on bridging that gap. Whether through global health initiatives, public health programs, or working with underserved populations locally, I aim to be an advocate for systemic change, ensuring that the communities I serve have access to the resources and infrastructure necessary to lead healthier lives.