Receiving the Ohio BCCP Award are Northwest Region Breast and Cervical Cancer Project staff members, from left, Erica Miller, Christa Bickel, Board of Health President Dr. Keith Lehman, and Jill Precht. Not pictured: Tammy Bialorucki.
The Northwest Region Breast and Cervical Cancer Project (BCCP), which serves 21 counties in northwest Ohio, was recently presented with The Ohio BCCP 2019 Cervical Cancer Screening Award from the Ohio Department of Health for providing the highest percentage of cervical cancer screenings in the state of Ohio.
Among the five Ohio regions, the northwest had the highest percentage of BCCP eligible women screened, exceeding the state average of 3.6%. Fulton County had the highest number of BCCP eligible women screened at 26.3%. At the recent Fulton County Board of Health meeting, the staff were recognized for all of their hard work and the impact they have made on the health of women in our community.
The Northwest Region BCCP is part of the Fulton County Health Department. FCHD staff comprise one of five BCCP Regional Enrollment Agencies in Ohio. The program is funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Health and The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mission of this program is to decrease cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality by focusing on underserved populations who have increased cancer risk due to health disparities.
The goal of each Regional Enrollment Agency is to identify priority populations and communities of need and implement evidence based strategies to increase screenings rates.
All women who reside in Ohio are eligible for BCCP services if they meet the following criteria: age 21-64; have an income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level; and are uninsured or have a limited health care plan that does not cover these services.
Cancer is currently the second most common cause of death in Fulton County and the United States, causing nearly one of every four deaths. From 2011-15, an average of 63,955 Ohio residents were diagnosed with invasive cancer each year. All residents are encouraged to get recommended cancer screenings.
For additional information on BCCP services, contact the Northwest Region BCCP at 800-929-6626 or locally at 419-335-3907, visit fultoncountyhealthdept.com or the BCCP Facebook page: Breast and Cervical Cancer Project.
