Calif. Agency Among Recipients of Funds for Public Health Initiatives

On Thursday, HHS announced $137 million in federal grants to state and local health agencies nationwide to strengthen their public health infrastructure, Modern PhysicianÂ reports (LaFave Grace, Modern Physician, 8/25).

More than half of the grants -- which are partially funded by the federal health reform law -- are expected to go toward preventive care and early-screening initiatives, such as tobacco cessation and immunization programs (Baker, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 8/25).

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called the latest grant awards "an important investment" that "will enable states and communities to help Americans quit smoking, get immunized and prevent disease and illness before they start."

The awards include:

Up to $75 million for nine Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment programs;
About $5 million to improve and expand the national network of tobacco cessation hotlines;
$2.6 million to enhance the Emerging Infections Program; and
$1 million to hire, train and prepare scientists for careers in public health laboratories, and support initiatives related to infectious disease research.

The grants to the states are a combination of funds allocated in the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was created by the health reform law, and by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (HHS release (1), 8/25).

California Public Health Department Nabs Funds

The California Department of Public Health received four funding installments targeting local health improvement programs.

The department has been awarded:

$765,000 to boost public health immunizations;
$381,103 to monitor the effectiveness of vaccines;
$340,245 forÂ tobacco cessation hotlines; and
$216,151 for an emerging infections program (HHS release (2), 8/25).

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