CDC REACH: the community-engaged data approach for racial and ethnic health equity

The Strategy

CDC REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) funds community-based organizations to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities in chronic disease. The program has a specific expectation: data must be community-engaged, meaning community members participate in data collection, interpretation, and use — not just as subjects. The community-engaged data model: (1) community members trained as data collectors (CHWs conducting surveys, not outside researchers), (2) community interpretation of findings (data reviewed with community advisory boards before publication), (3) community use of data (findings used for community advocacy, not just program improvement), (4) data sovereignty (community owns or co-owns the data, with agreements on use). The intervention model REACH funds: multi-level interventions that address policy, systems, and environmental change — not just individual behavior change. Funded examples: (1) policy change (sugary drink taxes, healthy food procurement policies),…