New Medica Foundation Grant Opportunities Target Better Health Care for Low-Income Minnesotans

The Medica Foundation is encouraging grant requests for three categories of priority projects that can improve the quality, accessibility and delivery of health care to low-income Minnesotans. The grant application deadline for these additional funds is September 24, 2004.

The three funding priorities, and the maximum dollar amounts available for individual projects, are:

• Reducing Disparities in Health Care. Eligible projects will identify disparities in health status within diverse Minnesota populations, identify best practices, and promote new processes to reduce the disparities. Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $50,000.
     
• Emergency Room Utilization. The goal is to develop and implement innovative community, public health agency, clinic and hospital-based educational programs that can decrease inappropriate emergency room use and increase use of appropriate alternative health care services. Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $50,000.
     
• Partnership for Prevention. Eligible projects will be new efforts to improve utilization and quality of education, screening and prevention programs. Target areas include well-child screening, immunizations and lead screening; prenatal and postnatal care; asthma; diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $150,000.

Grant requests are encouraged from nonprofit organizations, government agencies and other public entities serving Medica's Prepaid Medical Assistant (PMAP) counties. The grant opportunities are made possible by the Medica Foundation to support Medica Choice Care(SM) and Medica MinnesotaCare members. Projects will be chosen for funding following the review of grant applications by the Medica State Public Programs advisory committee.

Application forms and instructions can be downloaded from Medica's Web site. Application questions should go to foundation@medica.com or to Medica Foundation manager JoAnn Birkholz, 952/992-2060.

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