California Endowment Provides $10.5M in Grants to Groups Focusing on Health Needs of Agricultural Workers
The California Endowment yesterday announced that it has awarded $10.5 million in grants to 30 organizations that address agricultural workers' health care needs. The grants, based on recommendations from the endowment's CEO Task Force on Agricultural Worker Health, are targeted at improving access to medical and dental care, increasing enrollment in publicly funded health insurance programs, expanding health education and outreach, improving occupational health and safety and addressing mental health and substance abuse needs. A recent study found that most agriculture workers in California are at "serious risk for life-threatening chronic disease caused by inadequate nutrition and little or no access to medical and dental care." According to the endowment, $7 million of the grants will go "directly toward medical and dental care." California Endowment President and CEO Dr. Robert Ross said, "These grants are intended to respond to the immediate health needs of agricultural workers in California and constitute the first phase of a five-year, $50 million initiative. The organizations will be able to quickly expand the great work they are doing for agricultural workers and their families" (California Endowment release, 2/19).
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