Kalusugan Coalition is a non-profit organization serving the Filipino community in NYC. Their mission is to improve health through network development, education, research, community action and advocacy. They operate various programs including AsPIRE to address hypertension, ARUGA for breast health education, and Pinoy HEALIN' to promote healthy eating and active living. Kalusugan Coalition also conducts policy advocacy and works as navigators to help enroll individuals in health insurance through the ACA exchange.

2. Overview
• About Kalusugan Coalition
• History
• Target Population
• Projects
• AsPIRE
• Alliance
• ARUGA
• Pinoy HEALIN’
• Project CHARGE
• Navigator Program

3. Getting to Know Kalusugan Coalition, Inc.

4. Mission: To create a unified voice to improve the health of the Filipino community
in the NY/NJ area through: network development
educational activities
research
community action
advocacy
Move your body, mind your health, feed your soul.
KC
Academia
Faith-based
orgs
Community-
based orgs./
associations
Government
Local
businesses

5. Community Forum
Community Health
Needs Assessment
Outreach
Feb 2004 April 2004 Summer 2004 April 2005
Sep 2005
History of Kalusugan Coalition (KC)
January 2005

6. Who do we serve?
• Filipino Population in NYC ≈ 78,030*
• 4th largest Asian subgroup in NY
• 3 out of 4 are foreign-born
• 54% live in Queens
• The largest populations are in Elmhurst and
Woodside, in Queens, making up 13 percent
of Filipino residents.
* US Census 2010

7. Barriers to Health
Perceived personal/cultural factors associated with HTN
Stress:
“When I got here, my situation became different. Being away from my family,
the feeling of being in a job that I’m unfamiliar with…these things can stress
you out. You’re not truly happy. You may have money along with it, but it’s not
a job that you truly like. Personally, I don’t like my job. If I had the choice, I
wouldn’t be in this situation.” – Filipina Domestic Worker
Perceived
barriers
to
care
Financial
barriers:
“Health
affordability
is
also
an
issues
because
if
you
don’t
have
health
insurance,
you
get
a
high
rate,
right?
That’s
why
most
of
our
members
shy
away
from
doctors
un=l
they
are
really
very
sick…”
–
Advocate,
Domes=c
Workers
Associa=on

8.
KC s
Model
of
Health
Access
Community Health Workers (CHWs) as Critical
Members of the Health Care Team
• CHWs are frontline public health professionals who have an unusually close
understanding of the communities they serve through shared ethnicity, culture,
language, and life experiences.
Zebede Dimaporo
CHW
Espie Perrella
CHW
Pacita Valdellon
CHW
Leoni Gamboa
Lead CHW

9. CHW ROLES
• OUTREACH & COMMUNITY
MOBILIZATION
• COMMUNITY/CULTURAL
LIAISON
• CASE MANAGEMENT/
CARE COORDINATION
• HOME-BASED SUPPORT
• HEALTH PROMOTION/
HEALTH COACHING
• SYSTEM NAVIGATION
• PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH

10. Kalusugan Coalition Projects

11. Project AsPIRE
Asian American Partnerships in Research and Empowerment
• Overall Goal: To improve the health care access and status for hypertension and CVD in the
NYC Filipino American community through interventions by community health workers
3 year
planning
grant
(2005)
5 year
implementation
grant
(2008)
3 year
dissemination
grant
(2013)
Potential funding for 11 years
Funding: NIMHD Community-Based Participatory Research Initiative in
Reducing and Eliminating Health Disparities (R24) - in partnership with
NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health

12. More Intensive
Intervention
(n=62)
Less Intensive
Intervention
(n=78)
-27.0 mmHg
Systolic
-9.2 mmHg
Systolic
-10.9mmHg
Diastolic
-3.5 mmHg
Diastolic
Measured !om baseline to 8 months. The differences
in the means were significant at p<0.001#
!
CHW Impact on Heart Health
Blood Pressure Change
#
“Joining Kalusugan and attending sessions
on cardiovascular health has changed my life.
I learned to exercise even when am at work.
I have gained many !iends whom I can
share my thoughts. I am stress-!ee and my
blood pressure is stable." #
!
• 59 y/o Female Caregiver with
Hypertension!
• Joined Project AsPIRE in 2011!
• In 4 months, Reduced:!
Blood Pressure:140/83 -->126/80 mmHg!
Total Cholesterol: 212 -->176 mg/dL!

13. Educational Videos
CHW Trainings/Webinars
WEBSITE: www.filamchw.org
Strategic
Champions
Project
The
Na;onal
Heart,
Lung,
and
Blood
Ins;tute s
Community
Health
Worker
Health
Dispari;es
Ini;a;ve

14. Project ARUGA: Filipino Breast Health Initiative
Funded by the The Greater NYC Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen
This project will reach Filipino women who are:
• aged 40 and over
• have low screening rates
• medically underserved
• limited health literacy
Haveahearttoca
re for your breast health for you
&
yourlovedones
Pauline Sikat, Project Manager

15. BREAST HEALTH COACHING AND BRIDGING
EDUCATION &
OUTREACH
FACILITATE
SCREENINGS
1:1 EDUCATION
WORKSHO
PS
ED.
MATERIALS
Sat, 10a–3p @KC
8/19/13
10/5/13
12/14/13

16.
KC s Advocacy Priorities
• Health
Access
• Food
Jus;ce/Ac;ve
Living
Policy
• Data
Disaggrega;on
• Budget
Equity
• Comprehensive
Immigra;on
Reform
Approach: As members of larger advocacy coalitions, CHWs conduct policy advocacy, bringing community
voices to decision makers in state and local government.
APA Table & New Yorkers for
Real Immigration Reform

17. Pinoy HEALIN’
Healthy
Ea;ng
and
Ac;ve
Living
in
our
Neighborhoods
• Goal: promote increased access to healthy foods and opportunities for
active living in the Filipino and larger Queens community
• KC
is
funded
by
the
Fund
for
Public
Health
in
NY
as
a
Neighborhood Contractor
for
• KC is an active member of the Partnership for a Healthier Queens Coalition
led by

18. • Healthy Cooking Contests
• Healthy Cooking Demonstrations
• Restaurant needs assessment
CHWs leverage resources in community to make healthy eating and active living accessible/affordable for
community members
Pinoy HEALIN’
• Gym Membership Discount
• Summer Play Streets
• Yoga
• Aerobics/Zumba
• Cultural Dance
• Badminton
• Line Dancing
• Martial Arts

19.
• Formed
in
2007
• 16
organiza;onal
partners
• Purpose:
Increase
the
capacity
of
community
based
organiza;ons
to
do
health
policy/advocacy
• Goal:
Ensure
access
to
health
care
for
APAs

20. Advocacy Agenda
• Passage
of
the
Health
Benefit
Exchange
Legisla@on
• Language
Access
for
Exchange
• Culturally
Competent
&
Language
Accessible
Outreach
&
Educa@on
• Data
Collec;on
&
Repor;ng
Improvements
• GeTng
a
Seat
at
the
Table
• Promote
Op@ons
for
leI
behinds and
Protect
Safety
Net

21. In-Person Assistor/Navigator Program
u KC Joins 9 other Asian-Serving
partners led by Coalition for Asian
American Children and Families to
support In-person Assistors/
Navigators for the NYS Health
Benefit Exchange
u Goal: enroll 6000 individuals/year
in health insurance through the
Health Benefit Exchange
u Target: APA individuals, small
businesses, small business
employees
u PARTNERS:
u CACF
u Adhikaar
u Arab American Family Service Center
u Center for Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities
u DREAM: Diabetes Research, Education,and Action for Minorities
u Kalusugan Coalition, Inc.
u Mekong
u United Chinese Association of Brooklyn
u United Sikhs
u YWCA of Queens
http://www.healthbenefitexchange.ny.gov/

22.
Rhodora
Ursua,
MPH
Kalusugan
Coali;on,
Inc.
39-­‐04
63rd
Street
Woodside,
NY
11377
info@kalusugancoali;on.org
www.kalusugancoali;on.org
www.facebook.com/kalusugancoali;on
www.twiber.com/kalusugan