Medica Foundation 2006 First Cycle Funding Puts Major Focus on Disparities in Health Care, Behavioral Health and Supporting Seniors.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Medica Foundation in it first cycle of funding for 2006 made grants totaling $175,000 for five projects that address disparities in health care. An additional $479,880 in funding was granted for projects that address behavioral health issues and support for seniors.

Addressing disparities in health care has become an important focus for the Medica Foundation as Minnesota has become a more culturally diverse place. "The Medica Foundation is pleased to provide grants that help these diverse populations gain better access to the health care system and connect them to needed services and information," said Rob Longendyke, executive director.

A Bridge to Healthy Outcomes

Pillsbury United Communities is the recipient of a $30,000 grant for their Bridge to Healthy Outcomes project, and is an example of the type of programs the Medica Foundation supports. Primarily focused on providing services to immigrants and refugees living in Hennepin County, the program is an innovative, community-based approach that promotes access to health care services and removes barriers for diverse populations and communities.

The funding will be used to conduct culturally competent outreach to families not connected with primary health care providers, to customize care plans for each family member and to act as a bridge between western-trained health care personnel and people who are more comfortable working with another consultant, such as a Shaman or someone who uses herbs and rituals. Staff are all trained to provide interpreting and translation services. The work of A Bridge to Healthy Outcomes is accomplished through one to one meetings, well-child orientations that stress the importance of immunizations, nutrition, and child safety walk-in clinics, and health and wellness workshops. The goals of the project are to get at least 540 children up-to-date on their immunizations and provide information on a variety of health topics to more than 300 families.

" Many refugee and immigrant families have found our health care system difficult to navigate, not just because of language barriers, but also because of their reliance on non-Westernized practices," said Yvonne Olson, chief operation officer at Pillsbury United Communities. "Our goal with this program is to connect people to preventative health care using a holistic, community-based approach. We can do this because our staff is reflective of the communities we service, with 40% once immigrants themselves, and collectively they are fluent in twelve languages. This helps to build trust in the new system while not relinquishing their own important traditions."

Additional Grants

Other projects funded to address health care disparities are:

* Children's Dental Services, Minneapolis, $25,000 to provide culturally appropriate comprehensive oral health care to low-income children and pregnant women.

* La Escuelita, Minneapolis, $20,000, for its Juventud Viva and Live It! Program to disseminate knowledge about teen pregnancy prevention and sexually-transmitted infections through Latino peer education.

* Neighborhood House, St. Paul, $50,000 for its Plain Talk-Hmong project that assists neighborhood groups and residents to create locally effective strategies and influence behavior to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections within their community.

* Southside Community Health Services, Minneapolis, $50,000, for its Plain Talk project designed to determine and address cultural components influencing behaviors in the African-American and Latino youth populations.

The Medica Foundation also funded six projects in the area of behavioral health:

* The Center for Victims of Torture, Minneapolis, $50,000, to create new capacities for healing survivors of torture and war trauma.

* CentraCare Health Foundation, St. Cloud, $50,000, to provide mobile access for immediate and long-term mental health care in a school-based setting.

* Family & Children's Service, Minneapolis, $75,000 to provide violence risk assessment and connections to health, mental health and social services for children and families at high risk of trauma and violence.

* The Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, $50,325, to integrate behavioral health in the primary care setting for all patients with undiagnosed/untreated depression.

* National Alliance for the Mentally Ill-Minnesota, St. Paul, $30,000, to provide outreach and education programs regarding mental health issues in the African American community

* St. David's Child Development & Family Services, Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, $26,555, to provide behavioral health outreach and assistance with health plan enrollment for low income families and children ages 0-5 considered at high risk for school failure.

Four grants were provided in the area of supporting seniors:

* Confederation of the Somali Community in Minnesota, Minneapolis, $48,000, to partner with a nurse visitation program to provide screening and healthcare navigation services for socially isolated Somali elders.

* Parmly Senior Housing & Services, Chisago, Washington and Anoka Counties, $50,000 to engage seniors in the wellness center and fitness programs designed to maintain the health and independence of seniors.

* United Cambodian Association of Minnesota, St. Paul, $50,000, to assist Cambodian seniors living in the seven-county metro area in maintaining their health and living independently.

* VINE Faith in Action, Mankato, $50,000, to enhance hospital and nursing home transition services through a home safety inspection program for seniors.

About the Medica Foundation

The Medica Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable grant-making foundation and a sister organization to Medica Health Plans, a Minnesota-based nonprofit HMO. The Foundation generally seeks to fund community-based programs and initiatives that can provide sustainable, measurable improvements in the availability, access and quality of healthcare. Email: [e-mail]; Phone: [phone]

About Medica

Medica (www.medica.com) is Minnesota's largest HMO, largest PPO and leading non-profit and independent provider of health plans. Medica has 1.2 million members and nearly 27,000 providers in a regional health care network service area that is available to 98 percent of Minnesotans and a growing number of adjoining counties in Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. Medica also offers national network coverage to employers who also have employees outside the Medica regional network. Medica has the highest accreditation, Excellent, from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA([R])) for the commercial health plans it provides to Minnesotans and North Dakotans and for Medicaid HMO plans. Medica's vision is to become the community's health plan of choice, trusted for its integrity, respected for its service, and admired for its commitment to innovation and efficiency.