Cancer Screening, Outreach and Education Programs
Manhattan Cancer Services Program (MCSP)
Directed by Karen Schmitt, the MCSP provides community and population-based education to address the importance of early detection, engages community organization to promote early cancer detection services to high need areas, enrolls uninsured individuals in free breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic services, and provides case management services. COE and the MCSP work together to refer community members to free or low-cost breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screening services.
Contact: 212-851-4516
Community Educational Workshops
Our health educators provide cancer education workshops virtually and in-person at community organizations, faith-based organizations (churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, etc.) and at schools. We are present at community events and health fairs to inform the public about our programs and services.
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Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA)
COE was awarded a grant called Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) for the area of Staten Island, funded by the NY State Department of Health and Health Research, Inc. COE works with key partners Dr. Ginny Mantello (Staten Island Borough President’s Office) and Dr. Ana Mendez (Richmond University Medical Center) to facilitate the adoption of sun safety policies at community organizations throughout Staten Island.
These policies introduce free sunscreen, shade, signage, and training to new spaces. CPiA also works closely with Staten Island high schools to bring skin cancer risk reduction information to teens and involves them in a student-led social media communications campaign called Project Sun Safe Staten Island. Lastly, CPiA has maintained a presence at community events and held their own events to educate the public, healthcare providers, pharmacists, federally qualified and school-based health centers, and community leaders about the cancer-preventing HPV vaccination and skin cancer risk reduction.
Contact: Maya Lipsman, Project Director of CPiA Staten Island, ml4082@cumc.columbia.edu(link sends e-mail)
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Moonshot Initiative: Refuah Health
As part of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative, HICCC’s partner, Refuah Health (a federally qualified health center) was granted an award called Accelerating Cancer Screening. The goal of this award is to enhance access to vital cancer screenings and early detection services for underserved communities. HICCC will work with Refuah Health during the two-year award to establish a culturally sensitive outreach team and patient navigation system.
The team will focus on facilitating access to screening services and early cancer detection as well as offering support to access high-quality cancer care for the underserved population in Rockland County. Refuah Health plans to provide colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer screening services through a mobile cancer screening clinic, with the aim of reaching more than 14,300 individuals in 2023. This initiative addresses the impact of missed cancer screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributes to closing the gap in cancer screening and prevention.
The New York City Cancer Collaborative (NYCCC)
The New York City Cancer Collaborative (NYCCC) is a partnership of the offices of Community Outreach and Engagement from academic and hospital cancer centers and supporting organizations in New York City. Partners include:
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center of Columbia University
- Mount Sinai
- Einstein/Montefiore
- NYU Langone
- Memorial Sloan Kettering
- Weill Cornell
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- New York City Community-based organizations
Members of the NYCCC work together to share data from their individual community health needs assessments and to share their strategies and materials on educational outreach with other members.