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HEALTH FOUNDATION AWARDS $400,000 IN GRANTS Focus is on improving quality and access to health care for Connecticut residents
NEW BRITAIN (July 3, 2008) - The Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) Board of Directors approved seven grants during its second quarter board meeting to improve children’s mental health services and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
The awards range from $10,000 to $133,000, covering periods from one to two years. Grants provide funding ranging from coordinating culturally and linguistically appropriate education about health concerns in the Laotian community to mentoring children of prison inmates. Grant recipients include: CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH Covenant to Care for Children, Inc. (Bloomfield) was awarded $10,000 to support a mentoring program for at-risk children of prison inmates in an effort to deter juvenile delinquency, later adult crime, and stabilize family life. Lower Naugatuck Valley System of Care (Derby) was awarded $45,432 to pilot test an Easy Access Network, which is a uniform referral system designed to increase timely and appropriate interagency access for children and families with behavioral health needs. Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters (Hartford) was awarded a two-year, $100,000 grant to implement a mental health assessment tool and support a mental health specialist, who will train staff to detect early signs of problems in children of inmates at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.
REDUCING RACIAL & ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES Christian Community Action (CCA) (New Haven) was awarded $35,000 to support its Advocacy and Education Project, and “No More Crumbs” public campaign, which raises awareness about issues affecting poverty -- such as health. The grant also provides for technical assistance to translate CCA’s empowerment efforts into action for policy change. Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity & Justice (Hartford) was awarded a two-year, $133,375 grant to organize member-congregations around racial and ethnic health disparities elimination, culminating in a public forum at which a policy agenda will be formalized. Lao Association of Connecticut (West Hartford) received a $25,000 grant to coordinate culturally and linguistically appropriate education about their community’s priority health concerns; and teach health care providers how to effectively work with Laotian patients. OTHER HEALTH-RELATED GRANTS AWARDED
Center for Medicare Advocacy (Willimantic) was awarded $50,000 to support general operations to continue work with the state’s at-risk older and disabled residents. About the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) – www.cthealth.org: the state’s largest independent, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to improving the health of the people of Connecticut through systemic change, program innovation and health policy analysis. Since it was established in July 1999, CT Health has awarded 445 grants in 44 cities and towns, totaling $37.5 million in three priority areas – children’s mental health, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, and oral health.
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