Health Center Receives $86,200 to Develop Health Literacy Initiative

NEW BRITAIN (July 14, 2009) – New Haven-based Cornell Scott – Hill Health Center (HHC) was awarded an 18-month grant by the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) Board of Directors to develop a model health literacy program designed to improve its patients’ interaction with their health care provider.

HHC will focus on decreasing the literacy demands a provider entity places on its patients.  This involves changing its systems and can impact multiple levels including the organization, physicians, nurses, social workers and pharmacists.

The center will establish health literacy practices as an integral part of its organization to reduce the health disparities of its patient population, which is 40 percent African-American and 39 percent Hispanic.

“This grant responds to CT Health’s strategic objective to improve the patient-provider relationship,” says President & CEO Patricia Baker.

HHC will develop a comprehensive model that can be sustained and replicated.  It will include:

• A health literacy section on the HHC website for providers and patients
• Annual provider training in health literacy and cultural competency
• Enhanced patient understanding through signs and graphics
• Pharmacy changes to improve patient comprehension and use of medications
• Helping low literacy patients better manage their chronic diseases
• Health literacy training for HHC patients

“In recognition of the seriousness of the consequences of low-health literacy, HHC endeavors to create an Office of Health Literacy at HHC,” states director of development and marketing, Mimi Fahy.  “I have observed general frustration by health care and insurance providers to the lack of ideas or strategies for moving forward.  After listening to experts and others from government and other health care sectors, my strong sense is that literacy specialists are the missing link.” 

OTHER GRANTS AWARDED

• Connecticut Center for Patient Safety (CCPS) (Statewide), based in Redding, received a $45,000 grant for general support.  CCPS will partner with state minority organizations to meet the needs of diverse patient populations with documented disparities in health care quality and patient rights.  CCPS works with communities, the health care system and elected officials to improve health care quality and protect patient rights through education, accountability and advocacy.

Discretionary grants also were awarded to eight nonprofit organizations:

• Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice (Statewide) received a $10,000 grant for bridge funding to support its asthma education and outreach, and safe chemical policy reform work.
• State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families (Hartford area) received a $2,000 grant to support its annual Adolescent Graduation Celebration, which recognizes its students’ achievements.
• Eastern Area Health Education Centers, Inc. (Jewett City) received a $10,000 grant to support production of a video entitled, Faces of Disparities Awareness Campaign.
• University of Connecticut Health Center (Farmington) received a $7,000 grant to support its Migrant Farm Worker Medical and Dental Clinics, and Health Education Outreach Program.
• West Haven Community House Association, Inc, (West Haven) received a $10,000 grant to support the ParenTEEN Project, a program that provides counseling, parenting education and guidance to pregnant and parenting teens.

The Connecticut Health Foundation is the state’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving lives by changing health systems.  Since it was established in July 1999, the foundation has supported innovative grant-making, public health policy research, technical assistance and convening to achieve its mission – to improve the health of the people of Connecticut.  

Over the past nine years, CT Health has awarded 481 grants totaling more than $38 million in 44 cities and towns throughout the state in three priority areas:

• Improving access to children’s mental health services
• Reducing racial and ethnic health disparities
• Expanding access to and use of children’s oral health services

For more information about the foundation, please visit www.cthealth.org or contact Communications Officer Maryland Grier at Maryland@cthealth.org or 860.224.2200, ext. 32.