Blue Shield of California Foundation Awards $6 Million to Nonprofits Statewide to Promote Health Care Access and Quality

Final Quarter Grantmaking Brings 2007 Total to Nearly $30 Million

San Francisco, December 18, 2007 – Blue Shield of California Foundation (BSCF) today announced fourth quarter grants of $6 million to nonprofits statewide, bringing its 2007 giving to $29.1 million. The funding supports nonprofit organizations that use technology to improve care and control costs, expand access to care and coverage, and that work to end domestic violence.

BSCF’s giving represents an increase over last year’s total: The $29.1 million granted this year follows $27.1 million given in 2006.

"As policymakers continue to debate healthcare reform, we are committed to shoring up the safety net that provides care for our state’s most needy residents and to improving the quality of care for all Californians," said Crystal Hayling, foundation president and CEO.

BSCF awards grants each quarter in three different program areas: Health and Technology, Blue Shield Against Violence, and Health Care and Coverage. Highlights of the $6 million fourth quarter grants announced today include:

More than $3 million to Health and Technology programs, including:

$935,900 to the Tides Center of San Francisco to advance health information technology for improved disease management, quality of care, and health outcomes in community clinics.

$750,000 to Community Partners in Los Angeles to improve quality of care delivery in 30 to 40 community clinics serving Southern California.

$650,000 to the University of California, Davis Cancer Center, part of the university’s School of Medicine, to deploy telemedicine technology to four Cancer Care Network sites serving rural areas in Northern California.

$1.9 million to Blue Shield Against Violence programs, including:

$750,000 to provide legal services to immigrant victims of domestic violence with funds supporting the work of 12 immigrant rights organizations across the state.

$250,000 to Youth Radio, based in Oakland, to implement an educational outreach and participatory media campaign that engages young people to take action to prevent dating violence.

$150,000 to Peace Over Violence, based in Los Angeles, to use innovative Web tools to help teens identify and prevent dating violence.

$1 million to Health Care and Coverage programs, including:

$425,000 to the Center for Governmental Studies, fiscal sponsor of the Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP), to support research, provide technical assistance, and sponsor forums to develop and implement solutions to cover uninsured Californians.

$200,000 to the California School Health Centers Association, based in Oakland, to strengthen financing of California’s school health centers.

Blue Shield of California Foundation is one of the largest health care 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 3.2 million members, 4,300 employees and 20 offices throughout California. For more information about the company, please visit www.mylifepath.com.