The Connecticut Cancer Partnership is responsible for writing the comprehensive cancer plan for the state of Connecticut. The plan identifies goals and strategies for easing the burden of cancer on Connecticut residents. By funding implementation projects, the Partnership is working towards the goals and strategies acknowledged in the plan to identify solutions and best practices.
HPV–Southern CT State University– awareness and catchup vaccination for college students.
Based on a pilot at Salem Mass College. To provide catchup vaccinations to students. The group is working with the School of Nursing to provide student education and awareness at the University. The program is rolling out already. They are collaborating with Yale and the New Haven Health Dept. to use effective educational materials (the Someone You Love video).
Survivorship care plan–provider education.
Commission on Cancer (COC) standards for compliance is still being discussed. About a year ago a survey was conducted about how organizations write and send out/communicate survivorship care plans. The data was shared in a white paper that was sent to the Commission. Plan is to target Norwalk area providers to talk about the importance of survivorship care plans. Sharon Taymor is working with Norwalk Hospital to identify primary care providers to contact and talk about care plans.
End of life conversation project— schools of nursing at Southern and Fairfield will be using The Conversation Project training for graduate nursing students on how to have end of life conversations. Approximately 90 students will participate across both schools. It is hoped that 30 community conversations will happen across the state focusing on minority groups. This is focus on the general population. Faculty involved with the project are working to create a research study for this project. The project does have evaluation tools.
A representative from each project will share their results with the Advisory Committee. They will also meet with the oversight workgroups throughout the duration of their projects.
In 2010, the Department of Public Health received a $3.3 million award from a court settlement to fund a second round of implementation projects. Current state law provides that the comprehensive cancer control program receive a portion of settlement dollars brought about by lawsuits on behalf of the state that meet certain specified criteria. The largest settlement in this instance was the result of an agreement reached between the state and the drug company Cephalon over illegal off-label drug marketing that endangered Connecticut patients. The Connecticut Cancer Partnership immediately developed a list of funding priorities that best advanced various recommendations contained within the state cancer plan. Of the 22 projects taking place during the current round of funding, many began their work on July 1, 2011.
Projects from the second implementation funding cycle concluded in July, 2013. Posters summarizing findings from each of the projects were on display during the Tenth Annual Meeting. To learn more about each of these projects, click on the images below.
Twelve contracts, totaling nearly $2.2 million from funds directed by the Legislature in 2006, were awarded in 2008 to implement the Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan 2005 – 2008. To learn more about the first round of projects and their outcomes, please view our Progress Report.
