Medica Foundation Renews Pledge to Community

The Medica Foundation, Minnetonka, is now accepting grant applications for projects that focus on improving the health of the community and removing barriers to health care services.

"We believe we can best impact the health of the communities we serve by helping to ensure access to resources and support that can help people live healthier lives," said Robert Longendyke, executive director of the Medica Foundation. "The foundation will support community-based initiatives and programs that help meet that need."

Medica is Minnesota's largest HMO, largest PPO and leading nonprofit and independent provider of health plans. Medica re-established the Medica Foundation in 2003, and last year the foundation awarded grants totaling $1 million for State Public Program initiatives. In 2004, the foundation expects to approximately double its funding to about $2 million. In its first funding cycle, the foundation is now considering community-based projects that focus on three key priorities:

• Healthy Living: Projects that promote healthy living and lifestyle changes to help members improve their health and quality of life. Lifestyle areas of focus include physical activity, nutrition, weight management, stress management and smoking cessation.
      
• Helping Seniors Live Independently: Projects that support seniors maintaining their health, well-being, independence and quality of life through access to appropriate resources and systems.
     
• Provider Partnerships to Improve Performance: Projects that enable health care providers to improve efficiency and clinical quality within their organizations.

In addition to these grants, the Medica Foundation will also support State Public Program-based funding. The foundation is now considering projects that support Medica's State Public Program goals and focus on three key priorities in the first funding cycle:

• Behavioral Health - Filling the Gaps: Projects that promote development of innovative behavioral health care services to address current gaps in the system, improve access to care and provide earlier interventions.
      
• My World Your World - Enhancing Cultural Competency: Projects that improve care to diverse populations through reliance on enhanced linguistic and cultural competencies by Medica and its providers.
      
• Partnership for Prevention: Projects that improve access to and quality of preventive care such as well-child screenings including immunizations and lead screening; prenatal and postnatal care; asthma education; cancer screening; diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases.

Organizations can apply for single-year grants through Medica's Web site. Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2004, for funding of these priorities. A second cycle of funding opportunities will be announced in mid-year 2004. To qualify for funding, organizations should operate within Medica's service areas in Minnesota, western Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. Questions about the application process can be directed to JoAnn Birkholz, manager of the Medica Foundation, at 952/992-2060 or foundation@medica.com.

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