Blue Shield of California Foundation Awards Nearly $6 Million to 25 Organizations to Improve Access to Affordable Health Care and Strengthen California’s Safety Net
4th Quarter Grants Bring 2008 Giving to More Than $37 Million
San Francisco, December 11, 2008 - Blue Shield of California Foundation (BSCF) today announced fourth quarter grants of $5.8 million to 25 nonprofit organizations, bringing its total 2008 giving to $37.1 million. The funding supports work to increase access to health care and coverage, improve the quality of health care, and end domestic violence.
"During these difficult economic times, we must strengthen our network of services and care so they are there when Californians need them," said Crystal Hayling, BSCF president and CEO. "Our foundation is prioritizing safety net services that provide immediate help to those in need, while working toward long-term change to our health care system."
Highlights of the $5.8 million fourth quarter grants announced today include:
$1.7 million to Health Care and Coverage programs, including:
- $500,000 to the Center to Promote Healthcare Access, Inc. in Alameda to increase enrollment and retention in government-sponsored health insurance programs by advancing local and statewide efforts to modernize enrollment processes. With support from BSCF, the Center will continue to play a leading role in addressing the barriers to enrollment and will continue to inform research and policy development at the state level.
- $300,000 to the San Francisco Department of Public Health to conduct an evaluation of Healthy San Francisco, a universal health access program that provides comprehensive health services to uninsured, adult San Francisco residents who are ineligible for public health insurance. The evaluation will help the county determine the cost effectiveness of this new and innovative approach to expanding access to care.
- $250,000 to Clinica Sierra Vista in Bakersfield to support one-time merger costs associated with consolidating nine community health centers in Fresno County, formerly operated by Sequoia Community Health Foundation, into the daily operations of Clinica Sierra Vista. These funds will help preserve vital health care services for uninsured low-income residents in Fresno County.
$1.7 million to Blue Shield Against Violence programs, including:
- $1.3 million to Oakland-based Youth Radio to fully launch the BOM ("Boss of Me") campaign, giving teens new media tools to prevent dating violence. Youth Radio will build on a pilot BOM campaign to develop a youth-produced, multi-platform media campaign focused on empowering teens to strengthen healthy relationships and prevent conflict from escalating into violence.
- $415,000 to the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) in Sacramento to help the organization advance policy goals and provide members with the knowledge and tools to effectively support survivors of domestic violence. This grant will help develop CPEDV's infrastructure, capacity, strategy, and leadership so that the organization can become a statewide leader in strengthening the safety net for survivors of domestic violence in California.
$2.3 million to Health and Technology programs, including:
- $1.2 million (given in grants ranging from $75,000 to $125,000) to 11 California community-based organizations, safety net hospitals, and clinics, to support Health Information Exchange activities among safety net providers and beyond. Building health information exchange capacity promotes safer, more timely, cost-effective and efficient patient care. Nonprofits receiving the grants are in Sonoma, Santa Clara, El Dorado, Los Angeles, Nevada, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Shasta and Kern counties.
- $450,000 to Project HOPE - The People-To-People Health Foundation, Inc. in Millwood, VA to promote key policy issues related to the development and use of medical technologies. This will include the publication of a series of papers designated as "TechWatch" articles in the respected health policy journal Health Affairs, as well as distribution through blogs and podcasts. Past coverage of technology-related issues in Health Affairs has helped to frame debate and inform legislation on medical technology issues.
- $120,000 to the Center for Quality Systems Improvement (CSQI) in Los Angeles to improve the systematic use of effective evidence-based practices to manage patients with sepsis and other hospital-acquired infections in up to 60 acute care hospitals in the greater Los Angeles area. CQSI's Sepsis Quality Improvement Collaborative began in 2007 through a BSCF grant to the National Health Foundation, and BSCF's 2008 funding will continue the important work in improving sepsis mortality in Southern California hospitals.
Information on these and other BSCF grants can be found through the Foundation's searchable database.
Blue Shield of California Foundation is one of the largest healthcare grant making organizations in California. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.blueshieldcafoundation.org. The Foundation was formed by Blue Shield of California, a not-for-profit corporation with more than 3.4 million members, 4700 employees and more than 20 offices throughout California. For more information about the company, please visit www.blueshieldca.com.