Health Foundation Awards $1M in Grants

Friday, June 17, 2011

The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation announced this week it will award $1 million in grants to members of the Chronic Care Collaborative.

The Chronic Care Collaborative is a six-member consortium of non-profit health care providers serving uninsured and underinsured patients in the Historic Triangle. The Collaborative was formed in 2006 to address the consequences of chronic diseases for medically underserved citizens. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are reaching alarming proportions as the nation ages, according to the WCHF. The Center for Disease Control estimates half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic condition.

“Chronic diseases represent one the region’s most challenging health care issues,” said Jeanne Zeidler, president and CEO of the Foundation.

“Fortunately, members of the Collaborative are showing how focused, engaged organizations can work together to address it. Their cooperative efforts are improving the health of patients and providing a model for other communities.”

Members of the Collaborative include Angels of Mercy Clinic, Colonial Behavioral Health, Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic, Lackey Free Clinic, Olde Towne Medical Center, and Rx Partnership. The Collaborative is advised by Richmond-based Community Health Solutions. Sentara representatives also attend the Collaborative’s monthly meetings.

The grant funding will support ongoing efforts such as providing tools for patients and medical staff to better manage chronic conditions, furthering the integration of dental, behavioral and primary care, enabling access to free prescription medications, and ensuring an ongoing dialogue for discussing challenges and sharing experiences.

Since its foundation in 1996, the WCHF has given over $46 million in grants to health-related nonprofits in the Triangle.