Connecticut Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CCRCP)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has funded the Connecticut Colorectal Cancer Control Program to increase colorectal cancer screening rates among people aged 45-75 years old. The program does this by working with clinics, hospitals, and other health care organizations to implement and strengthen strategies that have been shown to increase colorectal cancer screening called evidence-based interventions. In addition, the DPH uses 20% of grant funds to provide no-cost follow-up diagnostic colonoscopies for those with a positive screening test.  A grant requirement is that these funds cannot pay for the initial screening but can be used to pay for the follow-up colonoscopy. 
 

Evidence-based Colorectal Cancer (CRC) screening practice improvements

The CRC screening initiative is focused on improving CRC screening rates by implementing one or more of the priority evidence-based interventions listed in the Guide to Community Preventive Services (the Community Guide) that includes the following practice improvements:

• Provider reminders: Reminding providers to refer their patients for CRC screening
• Client/patient reminders: Reminding patients that they are due or overdue for CRC screening
• Provider assessment and feedback: Providing assessment and feedback reports for providers on their performance related to screening patients for CRC
• Reducing structural barriers: Diminishing non-economic burdens or obstacles that make it difficult for people to access CRC screening (e.g., sending patients a fecal screening test via mail so they don’t have to come into the clinic, providing language interpreters, modifying clinic hours to meet patient needs)

Participating health systems and/or clinics may also engage in quality improvement processes to support their efforts to start or improve the CRC screening practice improvements they select.  Quality improvement processes are systematic, continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in services and patient health.
 
The Department of Public Health (DPH) directs the program in collaboration with the following select health care systems and clinics. At each of these health care facilities you may be eligible to receive a fecal screening test, not paid for by grant funds and, if the patient receives a positive screening result, referred to a Gastroenterologist (GI doctor) for a follow-up no-cost diagnostic colonoscopy, paid for by CDC grant funds. Participating health care facilities can access fecal screening test from the DPH that are supported by another grant. 
 
To be eligible to receive a no-cost follow-up diagnostic colonoscopy, you:

• Must have a positive screening test for CRC
• Must be aged 45 -75 years old
• Must be at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level
• Have no health insurance (uninsured) or,
• Have health insurance with a high deductible of $1,000 or more

Please note that a brief medical history and physical exam will be conducted to determine if you are medically eligible to undergo the colonoscopy procedure.
 
If you are interested in receiving a no cost diagnostic colonoscopy, contact one of the participating health care facilities below:  

This page was last updated on November 22, 2022.