MANSFIELD — The Community Health Access Project is celebrating 25 years of meaningful progress in improving health and addressing deep-rooted social challenges across Richland, Crawford, Ashland, Huron, Morrow and Knox Counties.
Founded in Mansfield in 1999, CHAP has grown from a bold local idea into the first organization to implement a nationally recognized model for coordinated care and community health innovation.
CHAP was the first organization in the country to implement the Pathways Community
HUB model system developed by Dr. Sarah and Dr. Mark Redding to bridge gaps in
care by addressing the social determinants that drive health outcomes.
Their vision was simple but transformative: if communities could better coordinate services and track real outcomes, they could reduce disparities and improve lives.
What began as a conversation at Mansfield’s Ocie Hill Community Center has grown
into a robust regional effort.
CHAP’s approach centers on Community Health Workers, who serve as trusted guides helping individuals navigate barriers related to housing, employment, transportation, education and healthcare.
These CHWs are employed by CHAP’s partner agencies, while CHAP provides oversight, training, and accountability through outcome tracking and infrastructure support.
On April 29, CHAP hosted a 25th anniversary celebration, bringing together almost 100
supporters, partners and community members to reflect on the journey and share
inspiration for the future.
Leaders from education, healthcare, social services and government highlighted the collaborative spirit that has fueled CHAP’s success. Stories shared throughout the evening underscored the power of local coordination and the lives changed through consistent, community-based support.
This milestone marks a time of transition for CHAP. Executive Director Nancy Hartman,
who led the organization through significant growth and stronger partnerships, will retire later this year.
During her tenure, CHAP doubled its participant capacity, enhanced data
systems and deepened collaborations with key partners. She leaves a strong
foundation for the future.
Brice Eyerly, a committed community leader with experience in health equity and systems change, will step into the role to lead CHAP in its next chapter.
As a convener and systems coordinator, CHAP plays a unique role. CHAP’s focus is to
ensure that care coordination is strategic, measurable, and effective.
Its oversight of CHWs, paired with outcome-based pathways, has set a national standard for what successful, accountable care coordination can look like. As CHAP looks ahead, the mission remains clear: to eliminate health disparities by connecting at-risk individuals to the services they need, while holding systems accountable to produce real results.
The legacy of the Reddings, and the countless community health workers, care coordinators, and local leaders who’ve carried the mission forward, continue to grow.
Now 25 years strong, CHAP remains rooted in Mansfield and its reach and impact
extend far beyond.