Health Equity
Cross Cultural Community Services (CCCS) is addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), making resources more accessible and equitable, especially for black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)
Elder Care
Cross Cultural Community Services is proud to announce its new Achieving Healthcare Equity in Aging initiative, in partnership with the Maine Council on Aging. Through focus groups and provider retreats, we have identified key priorities: improving access to information and resources, addressing isolation and invisibility, enhancing predictability in services, expanding behavioral health support, and promoting cultural understanding. Our Aging Advisory Committee, composed of diverse stakeholders, will help drive strategic solutions to combat ageism and promote health equity.
Family Wellbeing
Since our inception, CCCS has expanded its Strengthen Families Well-Being program, featuring four health-focused initiatives: StrengthenME, which collaborates with various organizations to offer stress management and resilience resources for all Mainers’ well-being; Equity in Maternal Child Health, where CCCS partners with Market Research under a State CDC contract to conduct focus groups addressing the quality of care for BIPOC women during and after childbirth; Sexual Assault Prevention, in which CCCS teams up with the University of Southern Maine’s Catherine Cutler Institute to work on equity-centered sexual violence prevention, focusing on at-risk BIPOC populations; and the Maine Child Welfare Action Network (MCWAN), by joining forces with which CCCS contributes to ensuring the safety and well-being of Maine children, emphasizing the perspectives of BIPOC families in our communities.
Oral Health
In collaboration with the Children’s Oral Health Network and BIPOC-led community organizations, CCCS established the Oral Health Equity Collaborative (OHEC) to address oral health disparities in the greater Portland area. Our goals include expanding access to MaineCare providers with sliding fee scales to serve all families, enhancing providers’ ability to deliver culturally relevant care to underserved communities, and empowering community-based organizations to facilitate access to care and foster relationships with providers for continuous improvement. CCCS offers a comprehensive 4-part Oral Health and Race Training for providers, covering Racial Definitions, cultural competency, the History of Race and Health, Resettlement and US Transition, and white privilege and white supremacy.