BCBSRI Accepting Applications for Community Health Grant
Friday, August 08, 2014
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is now accepting applications for its 2015 BlueAngel Community Health Grant (BACHG) program.
The annual program grants funds to community-based organizations that are working to provide access to good health that is blocked by cost, culture and language differences, lack of education, and other systemic hurdles.
“The BlueAngel Community Health Grant program is the cornerstone of our community investment program, and we’re so fortunate to partner with amazing organizations in Rhode Island who accomplish incredible things towards improving the health of our state,” said Michele Lederberg, chief administrative officer and general counsel for BCBSRI.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFocus on Childhood Obesity
2015 is the second year that the BACHG program will focus on childhood obesity. The program will award organizations that seek to improve the health and wellness of Rhode Island children through nutrition education, physical activity, disease prevention and management, or support of safe play environments.
Childhood obesity is projected to cost children five years of their lives. It is estimated to cost the healthcare industry and taxpayers up to $14 billion per year nationwide.
Those eligible for the grant are community-based organizations that aim to improve the nutritional quality of food and snacks in schools, reduce consumption of sugary beverages, protect children from unhealthy food and beverage marketing, and increase access to affordable healthy foods.
Rhode Island organizations that work to increase access to safe places to be active, help schools and youth-serving programs increase children’s physical activity levels, and support local community-based organizations that provide education and outreach on the importance of good nutrition, physical activity, and healthy weight for children and their families.
Favored applicants will be those that provide innovative programs, prevention initiatives, collaborations with one or more agencies working together, and initiatives to capture statewide data regarding the state of children’s weight in Rhode Island.
Only groups with a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status are eligible. Applicants can access eligibility requirements, grant program information, frequently asked questions, and the online letter of intent (LOI) form by visiting BCBSRI.com/about-us/community. Organizations must apply by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 18.
The BACHG program was launched in 2002.
For more information, visit www.bcbsri.com, follow us on Twitter @BCBSRI, and like us on Facebook at fb.com/bcbsrhodeisland.
Related Slideshow: New England’s Healthiest States 2013
The United Health Foundation recently released its 2013 annual reoprt: America's Health Rankings, which provides a comparative state by state analysis of several health measures to provide a comprehensive perspective of our nation's health issues. See how the New England states rank in the slides below.
Definitions
All Outcomes Rank: Outcomes represent what has already occurred, either through death, disease or missed days due to illness. In America's Health Rankings, outcomes include prevalence of diabetes, number of poor mental or physical health days in last 30 days, health disparity, infant mortality rate, cardiovascular death rate, cancer death rate and premature death. Outcomes account for 25% of the final ranking.
Determinants Rank: Determinants represent those actions that can affect the future health of the population. For clarity, determinants are divided into four groups: Behaviors, Community and Environment, Public and Health Policies, and Clinical Care. These four groups of measures influence the health outcomes of the population in a state, and improving these inputs will improve outcomes over time. Most measures are actually a combination of activities in all four groups.
Diabetes Rank: Based on percent of adults who responded yes to the question "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?" Does not include pre-diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.
Smoking Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are current smokers (self-report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke).
Obesity Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher.
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