PROVIDENCE – Six health care organizations and one city will split a combined $284,000 in grants form the Rhode Island Foundation to help improve the health of Rhode Islanders, according to the nonprofit group Friday.
“Developing an inclusive primary care system that promotes healthy lives is one of our core strategic initiatives. These grants will advance our continuing efforts to make quality health care more accessible and affordable,” said Neil Steinberg, the foundation’s president and CEO in a statement.
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A complete list of the grant recipients is below:
- Blackstone Valley Community Health Care (Pawtucket) received $70,000 for the hiring of additional health coaches as members of its primary care teams.
- The Providence Center was awarded $54,000 to support its School Counseling and Support Program in seven Providence elementary and middle schools.
- Rhode Island Hospital (Providence) was awarded $50,000 to expand its Connect for Health program from Hasbro Children’s Hospital to its adult primary care clinic in South Providence.
- The City of Central Falls was awarded $35,000 to develop partnerships between the city’s EMS service and nearby urgent care facilities.
- The Scituate Health Alliance (North Scituate) received $35,000 to support the cost of providing a town nurse.
- Clinica Esperanza (Providence) received $20,000 to screen individuals waiting for insurance coverage for chronic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease and help them manage their health.
- The Rhode Island Free Clinic (Providence) was awarded $20,000 to provide low-income, uninsured patients with expanded behavioral health services including psychiatry and medication management, psychotherapy and group counseling.
The grants were funded through the foundation’s RIGHA Foundation Fund which was created in 2010 after Harvard Pilgrim Health Care acquired the former Rhode Island Group Health Association and transferred its $1.6 million endowment to the Rhode Island Foundation.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care continues to make annual contributions to the fund, which promotes the development of an effective primary health care system in the state.
“Philanthropic support can provide the seed funding necessary to take innovative programs like these to the next level. Our goal is to reduce the cost of delivering high quality primary health care to Rhode Islanders,” said Karen Voci, president of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, in prepared remarks.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
