Recorded presentation

Rosetta Swinton, BSN, RN¹, Robert J. Stokes, Reverend², Alonzo Middleton, Reverend³, Ann D. Hollerbach, PhD, RN⁴, Melodie Olson, PhD, RN⁴, Suzanne Doscher, MS, RN⁴, Allen Parrott, D Min⁵, and Marilyn Laken, PhD, RN⁴. (1) Office of Special Initiatives, Medical University of South Carolina, Carriage House - 159 1/2 Rutledge Ave, PO Box 250218, Charleston, SC 29425-0218, 843-876-1949, swintonr@musc.edu, (2) Trinity AME Church, Charleston SC, Trinity AME Church, 507 Coaxum Rd, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464, (3) Mt. Pleasant District, AME Church, Seventh Episocpal District AME Church - Palmetto Conference, 76 Cannon Street, Charleston, SC 29403, (4) College of Nursing, Parish Nurse Program, Medical University of South Carolina, 948 Scottland Drive, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464, (5) Presiding Elder - Kingstree District AMEC, 603 Lamberts Dr, Ladson, SC 29456

Programs designed to address health disparities in African Americans show little evidence of effectiveness, due in part, to lack of trust among African Americans in the health care system. The Black church is traditionally a safe and nurturing place for African Americans and it is being used as a vehicle to provide health information. The goal of our faith-based program is to provide training and resources to over 500 African Methodist Episcopal (AME) congregations with 276,000 members throughout South Carolina.

Introduced in December 2000, this program is organized around the structure of the AME church and brings together the spiritual leadership of the church at all levels. Each Pastor is encouraged to appoint a Health Director. The Bishop appoints the Director of Health over the entire District. That person is responsible for working with Annual , District and Local Health Directors to assess health needs and implement health programs.By early 2004, almost 400 congregations had a Health Director. A partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina produced a website, health-e-ame.com, that provides health information and resources to AME members and a venue for the Director of Health to communicate with all Health Directors and Pastors. Successful local health programs are placed on the website. Monthly reports from Health Directors are summarized in an annual report of activities to the Bishop and presented at the annual meetings. This presentation summarizes those annual activities and presents lessons learned from implementing a large statewide program.

Learning Objectives: