[NYAPRS Enews] $100m in ACA Grants to Promote Health & Wellness, Reduce Chronic Diseases

[Harvey Rosenthal]

NYAPRS Note: Note the emphasis these grants place on promoting "social
and emotional wellness, such as facilitating early identification of
mental health needs and access to quality services, especially for
people with chronic conditions."


 


$100 Million in Affordable Care Act grants to Help Create Healthier U.S.
Communities


Prevention grants to focus on improving health, which can lower costs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today the
availability of over $100 million in funding for up to 75 Community
Transformation Grants. Created by the Affordable Care Act, these grants
are aimed at helping communities implement projects proven to reduce
chronic diseases - such as diabetes and heart disease. By promoting
healthy lifestyles and communities, especially among population groups
experiencing the greatest burden of chronic disease, these grants will
help improve health, reduce health disparities, and lower health care
costs.  

"Community Transformation Grants will empower local communities with
resources, information, and flexibility to help make their residents
healthier," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "By helping to
transform communities at the ground level, these efforts can have a
major impact on the health of Americans."

"It is critical that we sustain our work to develop and spread effective
programs that address leading killers like heart disease, cancer, and
stroke," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, which oversees the Community Transformation
Grants program.  "These funds will allow us to build on successful
programs that have helped people lead healthier lifestyles and help us
save millions in health care costs in the future."

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are
taking a devastating toll on our nation's health.  Seven of every 10
deaths are from a chronic disease - mostly caused by tobacco use,
obesity, poor diet, and too little physical activity.  Treatment for
people with chronic conditions accounts for more than 75-percent of the
more than $2 trillion spent on annual U.S. medical care costs.  Obesity
is a significant health care cost driver; in 2008, about $147 billion of
medical bills were weight-related.

Consistent with the law, these grants will focus on five priority areas:
1) tobacco-free living; 2) active living and healthy eating; 3)
evidence-based quality clinical and other preventive services,
specifically prevention and control of high blood pressure and high
cholesterol; 4) social and emotional wellness, such as facilitating
early identification of mental health needs and access to quality
services, especially for people with chronic conditions; and 5) healthy
and safe physical environments. 

Successful applicants must use evidence-based strategies and ensure that
their activities not only have broad population impact, but also help
address health disparities. Examples of projects that could qualify for
grants include eliminating food deserts and increasing access to healthy
food options, including efforts to improve school nutrition or bring
healthier food to corner markets in urban areas. Other examples include
promoting blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.

Communities may also address additional areas of disease prevention and
health promotion that will contribute to the overall goal of reducing
chronic disease rates.  These areas include adolescent health; arthritis
and osteoporosis; cancer; diabetes; disabilities and secondary
conditions; educational and community-based services; environmental
health; HIV; injury and violence prevention; maternal, infant, and child
health; mental health and mental disorders; health of older adults; oral
health; and sexually transmitted diseases.

State and local government agencies, tribes and territories, and state
and local non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for Community
Transformation Grants. At least 20-percent of grant funds will be
directed to rural and frontier areas. Applications are due to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July 2011, with awards
expected to be announced near the end of summer. The grants are expected
to run for five years, with projects expanding their scope and reach
over time as resources permit.

The Community Transformation Grants are one piece of a broader effort by
the Obama Administration to address the health and well-being of our
communities through initiatives such as the President's Childhood
Obesity Task Force, the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign, the National
Prevention Strategy, the National Quality Strategy, and HHS' Communities
Putting Prevention to Work program. The Prevention and Public Health
Fund, as part of the Affordable Care Act, is supporting this and other
initiatives designed to expand and sustain the necessary capacity to
prevent disease, detect it early, manage conditions before they become
severe, and provide states and communities the resources they need to
promote healthy living.  For more information about how the Fund is
helping promote prevention in every state, visit
www.HealthCare.gov/news/factsheets/prevention02092011a.html. 

The official funding opportunity announcement for the Community
Transformation Grants can be found at www.Grants.gov by searching for
CFDA 93.531. For more information about the grants, visit
www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/grants05132011a.html or
www.cdc.gov/communitytransformation

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