NEW BRITAIN (July 3, 2007) - The Board of Directors of the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) approved 35 grants, primarily in urban centers to address growing health needs. Grants are awarded in the Foundation's priority areas of children's mental health, children's oral health, racial and ethnic health disparities, and to other organizations responding to CT Health's mission to improve the health status of all Connecticut residents.

Oral Health

• Connecticut Oral Health Initiative (Statewide) received $135,000 to support general operations.
  
• Hospital for Special Care Pediatric Dental Clinic (New Britain) received $23,868 to support an operations and practice assessment of the Dental Clinic.
  
• New Haven Oral Health Collaborative (New Haven) received a $20,000 grant to support strategic planning of a comprehensive oral health care system among HUSKY children in New Haven. 
  
• University of Connecticut - School of Dental Medicine (Farmington) was awarded $79,520 to conduct a study and develop an economic model to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of federally qualified health center dental clinics.

Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Hartford) was awarded $20,000 to support the annual "Stepping into Wellness Project," to encourage fitness and good nutrition among young men and women.
  
• Charlotte Hungerford Hospital (Torrington) received a $40,000 grant to support the Cultural Diversity Pilot Project for Community Hospitals aimed at improving patient-provider communications for the growing Latino community.
  
• Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury (Danbury) was awarded $20,000 to support the Camino de la Salud Project (Road to Health) to focus on outreach, access, prevention and promotion of health.
  
• Hispanic Health Council (Hartford) was awarded $25,000 to coordinate the Connecticut Coalition for Medical Interpretation.
  
• Community-Driven Health Promotion Initiative awarded a fourth-year grant of $25,000 to five organizations to continue their health and wellness programs:
  
  
  • Asylum Hill Family Center (Hartford) received a grant to support sustainability of the Holistic Health, Wellness and Empowerment Program. 
    
  • Free to Grow (New Britain) received a grant to support expansion and sustainability of programs aimed at ending domestic violence and depression.
    
  • Going Forth Boldly, a program of Prayer Tabernacle Church of Love (Bridgeport) received a grant to support a health ministry program.
    
  • Living Well Health Ministry, a program of Faith Congregational Church (Hartford) received a grant to support a health ministry program.
    
  • Nubian Sisters Cancer Support Group (Bridgeport) received a grant support to cancer outreach, education, and advocacy.

Children's Mental Health

• Child Guidance Clinic of Central Connecticut (Meriden) was awarded $15,750 to provide staff training on autism.
  
• Lawyers for Children America, Inc. (Hartford) was awarded $100,000 over two years to provide legal services to address the mental health needs of abused and neglected children.
  
• Office of Healthcare Advocate (Hartford) was awarded $14,000 to provide bridge funding for a trained behavioral health caseworker.
  
• Southeast Mental Health System of Care LEARN (Old Lyme) received $185,000 over two years to support a community-based system of early identification and intervention for children at risk of mental health problems.
  
• The Northwest Caring Connection (Torrington) was awarded $50,000 to support the collaborative's efforts to develop a task force to improve health care access for its growing Latino population.

Other Health-related Grants

• Community Renewal Team (Hartford) was awarded $80,000 to support installation and training of a billing and client tracking system.
  
• Connecticut Center for Patient Safety (Statewide) was awarded $135,000 over two years for general operations.
  
• Connecticut Health Policy Project, Inc. (New Haven) received a $25,000 grant to develop four policy papers on prevention care case management.
  
• Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance (Bridgeport) received an $11,500 grant to support an "Educate the Legislature Day" at the State Capitol.
  
• Connecticut League for Nursing (Statewide) received a $10,000 grant to support a statewide data initiative and report, to address the nursing shortages in clinical and education sectors.
  
• Council on Foundations (Washington, D.C.) received $16,010 to support its nationwide grantmaking association activities.
  
• Education Connection (Litchfield) received a $7,500 grant to support a healthy lifestyle program that focuses on nutrition and physical activity for at-risk children and families; and to provide professional development for early childhood directors.
  
• Environment and Human Health, Inc. (North Haven) was awarded $15,000 to publish and disseminate a report that identifies harmful chemicals found in certain plastics for food and beverage packaging.
  
• Ethel Donaghue TRIPP Center, University of Connecticut (Farmington) received a $381,522 grant over two years to integrate health information technology into seven community health centers.
  
• Foundation for Educational Advancement, Inc. (Simsbury) received a $10,000 grant to conduct a Health Education Lead Poisoning Informational Forum.
  
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (Washington, D.C.) received $2,500 to support its nationwide grantmaking association activities.
  
• Grantmakers in Health (Washington, D.C.) received $5,500 to provide partnership support its nationwide grantmaking association.
• Malta House of Care Foundation, Inc. (Hartford) was awarded $5,000 to support the operation of the Malta House of Care Mobile Clinic, and the purchase of medical supplies.
  
• Saint Joseph College (West Hartford) was awarded a $27,126 grant to establish a Latino Community Practice Graduate Certificate Program.
  
• Southwest Community Center (Bridgeport) was awarded a $24,239 grant to develop and implement a social marketing campaign to publicize their new primary health care headquarters, which offers affordable, comprehensive health care.
  
• The Hospital of Central Connecticut at New Britain (New Britain) was awarded $8,000 to conduct a health needs assessment for the Greater New Britain area.
  
• Waterbury Family Focus Partnership, fiscal agent: Waterbury Youth Services System, Inc. (Waterbury) was awarded $14,048 to support general operations as a sustainability plan is developed.

The Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) is the state's largest independent, non-profit 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 of 1999, CT Health has awarded 383 grants in 43 cities and towns totaling over $30 million in three priority areas - children's mental health, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, and oral health.

For additional information about these grants, please contact Maryland Grier, Public Affairs Officer, at 860.224.2200, ext. 32 or at maryland@cthealth.org.