Cobb & Douglas Public Health submitted the following announcement about the recipients of its Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Partnership Grants:

Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) proudly celebrates the accomplishments of the 2024-2025 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Partnership Grant recipients. These organizations exemplify community collaboration by implementing sustainable initiatives that expand access to care, promote healthy lifestyles, and strengthen the social and physical environments that shape health outcomes in Cobb and Douglas Counties in support of the 2023-2027 CHIP.

2024-2025 Grant Highlights:

• The Giving Gardens Inc. – Constructed a hoop house to expand capacity for growing and donating fresh produce to the community.
• Davis Direction Foundation – Established a community garden and installed a blood pressure monitoring station at The Zone.
• Cobb County Senior Services – Supported a Home Safety Pilot Program which provided 110 devices to 27 older adults, to enable aging-in-place and prevent falls ranging from grab bars and motion-sensor nightlights to stairlifts.
• Wellstar Health System and the Wellstar Foundation, Inc. – Increased patient knowledge and resources related to hypertension, prenatal care, and postpartum risks by piloting the patient education and awareness ‘I Gave Birth Bracelets’ to 7,000 patients in Cobb and Douglas counties. Additionally, Wellstar partnered with local partners to distribute 435 fecal immunochemical tests to increase access to colorectal cancer screen tools under the ColoCare Connect program.

• Vision To Learn – Extended its vision care program into Douglas County, providing 226 exams and 190 pairs of glasses to students in need.
• Marietta PAL – Supported youth behavioral health with art, theater, and mindfulness programming with 82% of participants reporting improved coping and decision-making skills.
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia – Distributed 144 of their evidence-based PCPs (Perinatal Care Packages) packed with essential supplies like blood pressure monitors, compression socks, breast pumps and dynamic health education information to support local families during the pregnancy and post-partum period.

• The Extension – Improved overall health for 244 addiction recovery program participants through new medical supplies, testing equipment, and biweekly wellness groups.
• Cobb County Public Schools Education Foundation – The STRIVE program provided calming, supportive spaces that helped students regulate emotions and stay engaged in learning. Participating schools saw a 50% reduction in in-school suspensions and a 7% decrease in out-of-school suspensions, helping more students remain in their home schools and classrooms.
• Expanded therapeutic and maternal health services for 33 individuals (including children and adults) in shelters through weekly trauma and parenting sessions.

Building on this success, CDPH is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 CHIP Partnership Grant recipients whose new or expanded projects will continue advancing community health equity through policy, systems, and environmental improvements:

• Cobb Collaborative
• Douglas County Public Library
• Douglas County Parks and Recreation
• Eastchester Family Services
• Good Samaritan Center of Douglas County
• Mpowerd
• MUST Ministries
• Paint Love
• S.A.F.E PLACE
• The Center for Family Resources
• Wellstar Foundation, Inc.
• YouthCentric, Inc.

“The CHIP Partnership Grant continues to demonstrate the power of community collaboration,” stated Jazmyn McCloud, Health Equity & Community Engagement Director.  “CDPH is proud to invest in organizations that are creating measurable, lasting improvements to the health and well-being of residents across Cobb and Douglas Counties.”

For more information on the current CHIP, visit https://dashboards.mysidewalk.com/cobb-county-community-health/improving-our-health for Cobb County and https://dashboards.mysidewalk.com/douglas-county-community-health/improving-our-health for Douglas County.

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About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Since 1920, Cobb & Douglas Public Health, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, has been committed to the mission of “Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies. For more information visit the Cobb & Douglas Public Health website at https://cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org