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Six Organizations Respond to Foundation's New Health Literacy Initiative Aimed at Improving Patient-Provider Interactions
NEW BRITAIN (October 23, 2007) -- The board of directors of the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) approved $1.4 million in grant awards during its third quarter board meeting, including $420,700 targeted to address the state's growing need to improve patient-provider interactions through health literacy. Organizations in six of the state's major cities will integrate health literacy into their current Basic Skills and English as a Second Language programs using the Health Literacy Study Circles model developed by Dr. Rima Rudd of the Harvard School of Public Health. "The initiative builds the capacity of adult education programs to incorporate health literacy into their instruction, and reach populations of color that are at risk for poor health outcomes and low health literacy," said Will Crimi, vice president of program & evaluation at the Connecticut Health Foundation. Health Literacy in Adult Education Settings is a CT Health initiative that responds to the foundation's racial and ethnic health disparities strategic objective to improve the patient-provider interactions for improved health outcomes. Numerous studies associate low health literacy with disparities in prevention and screening behavior, health knowledge, access to care, health service utilization, overall health status, and shame/stigma in the health care setting. Fifteen-month grants were awarded to the following organizations under the Connecticut Health Foundation's racial and ethnic health disparities priority area. - Capitol Region Education Council (Hartford) received a $74,386 grant to implement the health literacy program at two Hartford Sites -- Sequassen Street and The Learning Corridor.
- Junta for Progressive Action, Inc. (New Haven) received a $50,000 grant to implement health literacy at five different levels four nights a week.
- Mercy Learning Center (Bridgeport) received a $75,000 grant to integrate health literacy into its current programs that target female heads of households, with an emphasis on maternal and child health.
- New Haven Adult Education Center (New Haven) received a $75,000 grant to integrate health literacy into its current professional development-focused programs, which use effective, evidenced-based traditional teaching methods.
- Norwich Adult Education (Norwich) received a $75,000 grant to integrate health literacy into its current programs to address the needs of the growing limited-English-speaking population.
- Stamford Adult Education (Stamford) received a $71,314 grant to implement the program in an industrial section of the city experiencing an increase in its immigrant population.
Additional grants funded under CT Health's racial and ethnic health disparities priority area include: - Lawrence & Memorial Hospital (New London) received a $25,000 grant to conduct an organizational self-assessment to address cultural competence.
- URU, The Right To Be, Inc. (West Haven) received a $125,000 grant to develop and disseminate a documentary film, "The Audacity of Hope: Disparities in Health Care."
- Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (Derby) was awarded $54,960 to implement, "Photovoice: A Tool for Community Empowerment and Action," a project that will use photographic images and commentary to increase community support to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
In addition to grants awarded under CT Health's racial and ethnic health disparities priority area, the foundation awarded the following grants: CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH - Center for Children's Advocacy, Inc. (Hartford) was awarded a three-year grant of $225,000 to support general operations.
- Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance (Bridgeport) was awarded $255,000 over three years to support operating expenses and capacity building.
- Families USA (Washington, D.C.) received a one-year $100,000 technical assistance grant to ensure that the reauthorized State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is implemented effectively, allowing 76,555 of Connecticut's uninsured children to access the program.
- Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services (Westport) was awarded $9,000 to host a summit, "Crossing Frontiers: A Dialogue about the Mental Health of Connecticut Latino Youth and Families."
ORAL HEALTH - Hill Health Corporation (New Haven), a Federally Qualified Health Center, in partnership with Training, Education and Manpower (TEAM), an anti-poverty agency that serves the Lower Naugatuck Valley, received a $117,820 grant to expand dental services for its low income residents. Other Health-related Grants
- The ACCESS Agency (Willimantic) received a $7,350 grant on behalf of the Nonprofit Alliance of Northeast, to conduct a community needs assessment to determine the basic human needs of the residents of Windham and Tolland counties.
- Hartford Food System (Hartford) received a $25,000 grant to expand its "Health Food Retailer Initiative," a project designed to increase the supply of healthy groceries in corner markets and bodegas.
- Operation Fuel, Inc. (Bloomfield) received a $75,000 grant to provide access to year-round energy assistance to Connecticut's poor and working poor; and to support efforts to implement long-term, systemic solutions to the energy affordability gap in Connecticut.
The Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) - www.cthealth.org - 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 400 grants in 44 cities and towns totaling over $31 million in three priority areas - children's mental health, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, and oral health. For additional information, please contact Maryland Grier, Public Affairs Officer, at 860.224.2200, ext. 32 or at maryland@cthealth.org.
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