Key Takeaways
- The CDC Foundation is expanding a youth healthcare program to rural areas.
- Young people living in rural areas in Georgia, Indiana, and Kentucky.
- The program provides education and access to healthcare programs.
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CDC Foundation Expands Youth Health Program to Rural Areas
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The organization is targeting teens in rural areas of Georgia, Indiana, and Kentucky.
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People living in rural areas across the United States can often struggle accessing important services, with healthcare being one of the biggest challenges. As a result, the people living in these areas are often under-educated and unaware of important health services and guidelines they can benefit from.
How are people living in rural areas impacted by funding cuts in healthcare?
The CDC Foundation is an organization that works to connect partners with the CDC and public health systems in order to positively impact communities across the country. It recently announced the expansion of a campaign that is directly targeting youth health in rural areas.1
The Teens Linked to Care (TLC) program works to provide education and access to health services to teenagers. The expansion will focus on improving these efforts in rural areas in Georgia, Indiana, and Kentucky, where young people face unique challenges in accessing these services.
In a press release, the CDC Foundation’s president and CEO Judy Monroe, MD, said, “After launching a successful pilot program in Scott County, IN, we're excited to be able to expand TLC and offer connections to young people in rural areas where health and wellness resources may be more difficult to find and access. By expanding the Teens Linked to Care program, we're investing in stronger community partnerships that empower youth, support families and schools and help lay the foundation for a healthier future."
Shantanu Agrawal, MD, is the chief health officer of Elevance Health, one of the groups working with the CDC Foundation on this effort. In the same press release, she added, “Elevance Health Foundation is proud to collaborate with community partners such as the CDC Foundation that encourage healthy behaviors and help prevent substance misuse among youth. Together with the CDC Foundation, we're working to improve lives and create healthier communities."
The CDC Foundation regularly targets specific communities for which to provide support. In February of the year, the organization launched a campaign to educate Black adults about the risks they face when it comes to developing high blood pressure.2
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Jerome Bettis, pro football player and spokesperson for the Live to the Beat campaign, said in a press release issued at the time, “ As someone who has personally experienced the impact of heart disease, losing my father to a heart attack at a relatively young age, I understand how important it is to take charge of your heart health. Hypertension is often a silent killer, especially in the Black community, where it affects so many but often goes undetected. It's crucial that we talk about it, raise awareness, and encourage each other to get checked. Together, we can make a difference in reducing the devastating toll of heart disease."
The CDC Foundation’s senior advisor for social marketing and behavior change programs Kinetra Joseph added, “People often remember stories more than facts alone, so this year, Live to the Beat wants to put real-person stories at the forefront of our outreach. By sharing the personal experiences of individuals like Jerome Bettis, we want to break the silence around hypertension and heart disease. These stories connect with people on a deeper level, helping to humanize the impact of these conditions. We believe when people hear from others who have faced similar challenges, it empowers them to take action, seek help, and prioritize their heart health. This campaign is not just about raising awareness; it's about sparking conversations and creating a lasting impact within the community."
Sources
- CDC Foundation Fosters Community Partnerships to Support Youth Health in Rural Communities. CDC Foundation. May 28, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cdc-foundation-fosters-community-partnerships-to-support-youth-health-in-rural-communities-302467155.html
- Pro Football Legend Jerome Bettis shares his personal story to help the CDC Foundation's Live to the Beat campaign reveal hypertension's silent, deadly toll on Black adults. CDC Foundation. February 5, 2025. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nfl-hall-of-famer-jerome-bettis-shares-his-personal-story-to-help-the-cdc-foundations-live-to-the-beat-campaign-reveal-hypertensions-silent-deadly-toll-on-black-adults-302368309.html
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