Innovative Use of the Body & Soul (B&S) Program to Train Faith-based Partners to Improve Church Community Health

Purpose: Body & Soul is an evidence-based wellness program for African-Americans administered through churches; it empowers church members to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and to be more physically active. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Office of Community Outreach (CINJ OCO) is committed to working with diverse community partners to reduce New Jersey's cancer burden through the provision of education and outreach regarding cancer prevention, detection and treatment. The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cancer Information Service (CIS) collaborates with partners to address disparities and assists with the identification and integration of evidence-based cancer control programs into practice. This partnership between academic and governmental institutions, based on shared mission, led to an innovative implementation of the B&S program with over 30 health ministries throughout New Jersey. Design and Methods: The CIS plays an integral role in translating research tested interventions into practice. Building upon an established relationship between CINJ OCO and a local Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church, key stakeholders were brought together to form a planning committee. The group's goal was to provide training on B&S to the many health ministries from the Allegheny East Conference of the North Atlantic Division of the SDA Church. Results: 30 churches (over 100 participants) were trained in B&S in November 2008. The session will cover an overview of the B&S program, the CIS's role in training, adaptation and technical support, and CINJ's innovative program planning and evaluation design which has lead to successful statewide adaptation of the program.