HHS Awards $11.4M in Grants For Community-Based Research
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Wednesday announced 25 grants totaling $11.4 million for community-based research on local disease prevention and "health promotion needs." With the grants, academic centers and local health departments will coordinate efforts to identify research needs in several areas, including physical activity, diabetes, youth and school-based health, nutrition, obesity, asthma, drug and tobacco prevention and violence and injury prevention. The 25 recipients will receive an average of $450,000 this year. Thompson said, "These grants will help researchers identify critical health research needs in local communities so that they can better target efforts to promote good health and prevent illness. These research efforts ultimately will translate into effective local strategies to improve the health of residents" (HHS release, 10/2).
In other HHS news, Thompson yesterday announced $2.5 million in grants to four states and the District of Columbia to develop and implement "new and creative approaches" to improving health care and social services for their residents. Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, South Dakota and Washington, D.C., each received a "State Innovation Grant" valued between $99,000 and $500,000 to implement demonstration projects that will improve health care access, reduce poverty levels or "tackle other important projects to better" people's lives. "These grants reward states for thinking outside the box and finding new ways to help their residents get the health care and other services that they need," Thompson said, adding, "As a former governor, I know that states are uniquely positioned to develop innovations to needed services more effectively, efficiently and compassionately. These grants will help those new ideas to take root and flourish and improve the lives of many Americans" (HHS release, 10/3).
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