Seriously, getting the best breast cancer awareness health care; utilizing community health workers to promote breast health education and understand health system navigation

Project T.E.M.P.L.E. (teaching, educating, mentoring, preventing, learning, empowering) is a breast health education program delivered in inner-city neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. This program is funded by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Northeast Ohio Affiliate.

Project T.E.M.P.L.E. classes are delivered in various community–based settings: public housing residential sites, community centers, and churches. The program stresses education and health advocacy services provided by a Health Advocate (CHW) that include follow-up monitoring for utilization of breast care resources in the community. A heavy emphasis is placed on dispelling myths and misinformation about breast cancer. Class participants receive individual assistance from a Health Advocate that includes health care navigation, scheduling and completing their recommended mammogram appointments. The programs' efforts reduce the barriers of entry into the health care system and increase breast cancer screening for minority women with a low-income. These barriers of entry include lack of insurance, complexity of engaging and navigating the health and social systems, multiple providers, lack of diversity of the providers, and mistrust of the health care system.

This presentation will bring the mammography navigation pathway to life from the client's perspective through audience participation. Audience members will role play various pathway points that illustrate the client's concerns and questions. The presenters will share their recommended practices and lessons learned that promote and increase mammography screening rates.