New Jersey Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention Grant

Executive Summary
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), Division of Health Promotion – Community Health and Wellness Unit (CHWU) addresses leading causes of death and disability from chronic disease and illness. To achieve this mission, the CHWU has cultivated a robust group of partners – clinicians, academicians, community advocates, patients, consumer representatives, business leaders and government agencies – across the state of New Jersey to reach high burden populations and communities and complete funded work. Improved quality of life and extended years of healthy living for New Jersey residents are the overall outcomes for all activities undertaken through CHWU programs and services.
The Community Health and Wellness Unit’s – Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention Program announces the availability of State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026 funding and technical assistance for primary care clinics operating in Cumberland, Cape May, Gloucester, Monmouth, Hunterdon, Somerset and Essex counties whose colorectal cancer (CRC) screening prevalence is between 25% and 55%, to implement evidence-based interventions (EBIs) and quality improvement (QI) processes to increase CRC screening in eligible and priority populations. This RFA seeks to increase CRC screening among populations aged 45 to 75 years that have lower colorectal cancer screening prevalence. The NJDOH-CCSPP is seeking up to four (4) primary care clinics to adopt strategies that utilize multi-component EBIs to increase CRC screening and to partner with NJDOH-CCSPP by accepting technical assistance, and support for data collection and evaluation activities.
Funded entities must demonstrate capacity and readiness to implement the program by completing the following:
Engage in a formal readiness assessment of funded entities’ capacity to implement EBIs. This assessment will be used to select EBIs that will support improved CRC screening. Implement multicomponent interventions that combine a minimum of three (3) evidence-based interventions (EBI), as recommended in The Community Guide. These EBIs must focus on different areas of the clinical system (which will increase demand, access, and delivery of screening recommendations). The EBIs of priority for this work includes patient reminders, provider reminders and feedback, reducing structural barriers, and patient navigation. Provide high-quality, clinic-level data, including baseline and annual CRC screening prevalence, aggregate data on stool-based tests provided to and returned by patients, and aggregate data on follow-up colonoscopies. Emphasis will be on the capacity to collect data and track the entire CRC screening process patients undergo. Support completion of stool tests and colonoscopies, including tracking and follow-up of colonoscopies for positive stool tests
In addition to funding and technical assistance, each awardee will have the opportunity to utilize a free patient navigation service supported by NJDOH. The navigators will be deployed to the awardees primary care clinics site and will provide direct patient referrals and outreach via electronic health records (EHR). Leveraging innovative tools, including a patient chat text concierge, the patient navigators will enhance patient engagement, reduce barriers, and empower informed decision-making. Navigators will also coordinate care, track outcomes, schedule screenings, and ensure timely follow-up to promote comprehensive, equitable colorectal cancer prevention and care.