Chronic Disease Self Management Program
This is a 7-week small group intervention facilitated by persons with different chronic conditions. It is taught by peer instructors trained in the Stanford University model.  The program is based on self-efficacy theory and emphasizes problem solving, decision making, and confidence building. This is an evidence-based program that is being implemented in southern West Virginia primary care centers, faith communities, and other settings.

Dining with Diabetes
The “Dining with Diabetes” program utilizes a team teaching approach actively engaging collaboration between community health care professionals and lay educators.  This program provides cooking demonstrations, food sampling, and skill building for healthy eating and positive lifestyle changes.  “Dining with Diabetes” has been implemented in all 55 counties in collaboration with the West Virginia University Extension Service.  The target audiences are persons and/or family members with diabetes, and/or their caregivers.

The Sankofa Project
African-Americans bear a disproportionate burden of health disparities in the state. West Virginia’s racial and ethnic minority populations have shorter life expectancies and higher rates of cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS infections and cardiovascular disease.  We believe that the African-American community has much to learn from its past-in order to adapt to a healthy lifestyle in the future. Our minority health education and training program is a fresh and different approach to a healthy living educational process (mental and physical) for African-American citizens in Raleigh County. The Sankofa Bird attitude is a realization of self and spirit. It is a holistic approach to minority health care. It represents the concepts of self-identity, redefinition and vision. Legend says that it flies forward while looking back. Sankofa means, "To go back to the past in order to build for the future." Our training programs are consistent with the goals of the Healthy People 2010 initiatives to address and ultimately eliminate the health disparities among the minority population in the region. The health education and fellowship programs address and focus on the major areas of health disparities, as well as other health issues such as drug abuse that are critically important to people of color.  Our mission is also to prevent our youth from taking risks with alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. The Sankofa Project is based out of the New Hope Baptist Church, 305 Workley Rd., Beckley, WV 25801. For more information, contact Carrilyn Carey, director Christian Health Education Program, at (304) 253-9361.