National, state and local data show that poor health outcomes are more common among those living in poverty and with limited access to care. West Virginia is no exception: The Mountain State has recorded some of the nation’s highest rates for smoking, addiction, overdose deaths, heart and lung disease, and cancer. These numbers are likely to persist due to limited access to primary and specialty care.

Poverty is prevalent among every demographic group in West Virginia, creating transportation challenges and access issues exacerbated by the state’s rural setting. People in poverty are often unable to keep regular appointments to address chronic health issues. They may have to stop taking prescribed medication. Preventive care and early detection are usually out of the question.

Yet, in every coal camp and small community throughout West Virginia, there is usually a central meeting place – the local church. Despite economic challenges that have forced businesses to close, eliminated jobs and led some people to move elsewhere, most communities have maintained places of worship as gathering places for congregants and non-churchgoers alike.

These churches often host weddings, baby and bridal showers, and other community events to mark milestone moments. And they offer opportunities to expand access to health education, preventive care and regular screenings by providing a convenient, accessible location within communities. Working with nurses from those areas offers the possibility to increase participation, as they have an insider perspective as to how to best approach and support community members.

Our Plan

The WVU School of Nursing’s West Virginia Faith Community Nursing initiative centers on using churches as points of access for healthcare by partnering with local nurses to provide necessary education and screenings.

There are 55 counties in West Virginia; 30 are considered economically distressed or at-risk counties. Of the distressed counties, nine have more than 30% of the population living in poverty. The School of Nursing can make the greatest impact by focusing on those 30 counties first as our team works to develop access to care points within faith community locations across West Virginia to improve overall health and well-being.

Our team will work with participating churches to provide necessary supplies and create space for private meetings and consultations, screenings and small group education sessions. We will also train a local nurse to support each county through its central faith center.

The estimated five-year cost of this initiative is $400,000. Our plan is to start with one church per county and add a second church in the state’s 10 most rural counties, for a total of 40 churches. The estimated cost per church would be about $10,000, including renovations, technology, supplies and nursing support. As we demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, our goal is to secure community buy-in from hospitals and businesses to sustain the program in the long term.

Suggested Giving Levels

• $100 provides a first aid supply kit for a church
• $500 provides screening supplies (BP cuff, pulse oximeter, blood glucose monitors, scale, etc.)
• $1,000 provides a computer and necessary software
• $5,000 provides training and compensation for a nurse
• $10,000 supports all program costs for one new church

Ways to Give

• Visit give.wvu.edu/nursing
• Mail a check to:
  • West Virginia University Foundation
    One Waterfront Place, 7th Floor
    P.O. Box 1650
    Morgantown, WV 26507-1650
    Please specify Parish Nursing Curriculum (2V865) in the memo line.
• Contact Director of Development Tiffany Samuels at 304-293-2554 or tsamuels@wvuf.org