The Community Initiatives to Increase Risk Awareness and Eliminate Stroke (CITIES) is administered by the Office of Minority Health (OMH), located within the Office of Public Health and Science of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The OMH was created in December 1985 with a mission to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of policies and programs that address disparities and gaps. Consistent with its mission, the role of OMH is to serve as the focal point within HHS for leadership, policy development and coordination, service demonstrations, information exchange, coalition and partnership building, and related efforts to address the health needs of racial and ethnic minorities.

The CITIES initiative is undertaken by the Department to complement and enhance existing local, regional and national activities designed to contribute to reducing and ultimately eliminating the excessive rates of stroke in the southeastern region of the U.S. The core objectives of the CITIES initiative are to:

• Increase community awareness and knowledge of hypertension and stroke
• Enhance early detection of hypertension and stroke with early referral to care
• Increase community adoption and use of lifestyle behaviors known to promote prevention and control of hypertension and stroke
• Enhance blood pressure control rates among persons known to have hypertension

The three projects described in these fact sheets are cooperative agreements funded for the four-year project period of August 1, 2004 to July 31, 2008. The projects are located in the states of Alabama at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, North Carolina at the Forsyth Medical Center Foundation, and South Carolina at the Medical University of South Carolina. Each project addresses the hypertension/stroke health needs of its racial and ethnic minority communities. Project activities include outreach, health screening, referrals to appropriate health services, health education workshops, development of informational materials, and media outreach.

For additional information, please contact the Division of Program Operations, Office of Minority Health.

October 2005
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