The Denominational Leadership Health Initiative

Program Overview Goals and Objectives

The African American Denominational Leadership Health Initiative (AADLHI) seeks to develop and implement a sustainable health education and service delivery system within each denomination to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer and other health disparities disproportionately affecting African Americans. The main objectives of this initiative are:
  1. Enhance and strengthen the capacity of each denomination to establish an Office of Health within the national headquarters of the national women's missionary society that will support the full engagement of the church at all levels of governance, including the local church.
  2. Enhance and strengthen the capacity of each Episcopal district of the AME, AME Zion and CME denominations to support the engagement of local churches in developing an effective and appropriate response to HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer and other health disparities within their congregations and communities.
  3. Provide training and technical support to the leadership of the national missionary societies that will strengthen their capacity to provide and coordinate strategic planning, training, implementation and evaluation of health education and service interventions at the Episcopal and presiding elder district levels and throughout the entire denominational membership.
  4. Provide training and technical support at the Episcopal and presiding elder district levels that will empower and support the ability of the leadership and laity to effectively engage and implement health service delivery interventions at the local church and community level.