In the United States, people of color and low-income Americans are more likely to be uninsured, face barriers to accessing care, and have higher rates of chronic conditions (i.e., cancer, asthma, and HIV) than whites and those with higher incomes.

Project Wellness reduces health disparities and promotes health and wellness equity by empowering Urban League affiliates and the communities that they serve to utilize an evidence-based, culturally relevant wellness approach to community health.

National Scope

As a Champion for Coverage organization, the National Urban League was a federally funded Navigator entity focusing on the equitable engagement of communities of color in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rollout and implementation.

The historic first open enrollment of the Health Insurance Marketplace propelled over 200,000 individuals to be educated at 500+ events organized and run by four Urban League affiliates in Florida, Virginia, and Texas. The media exposure for these events, funded by the National Urban League, produced a targeted reach of 1.5 million. Additionally, since the initial implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the National Urban League has provided innovative support to 38 Urban League affiliates along with a targeted 2017-18 outreach effort in communities of color in order to promote ACA awareness and to combat ACA misinformation.

Accomplishments

Through a multi-year Center for Disease Control (CDC) grant, the National Urban League became a member of Partnering And Communicating Together (PACT), a CDC-funded HIV/ AIDS multimedia, awareness, dissemination, and activities grant designed to reach hard-hit and often hard-to-reach communities with HIV and AIDS messaging, campaigns, and materials while offering testing, treatment, and care. This project has supported California, Florida, Indiana, South Carolina, and Virginia efforts.

These funded campaigns currently have had a tremendous promotional impact:

LET’S STOP HIV TOGETHER

It addresses the HIV stigma by telling the stories of people living with HIV and sharing the experiences of family members, friends, and other loved ones supporting those living with HIV. Various topics are covered, including, but not limited to, HIV stigma, social support, and viral suppression in the context of healthy relationships.

START TALKING. STOP HIV.

Encourages open conversation about HIV prevention among gay, bisexuals, and other men who have sex with
men by sharing stories from these communities. Topics such as PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis), HIV testing, condom use, and HIV status disclosure are addressed in the context of healthy relationships.