CONNECTICUT HEALTH FOUNDATION AWARDS

CONNECTICUT HEALTH FOUNDATION AWARDS

Connecticut Advocacy Organization Receives $45,000 Grant to Train Low/Moderate Income Families to Advocate for Health Care Reform

DECEMBER 21, 2011

“Only 25 percent of Americans can score a “C” or better when it comes to accurately recalling and understanding facts pertaining to the Affordable Care Act.”

HARTFORD, CONN. – Dec. 21, 2011   The Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) Board of Directors today awarded Hartford-based United Connecticut Action for Neighborhoods, Inc. (UCAN) a one-year $45,000 grant to provide low/moderate income families the skills and resources to advocate for their health and health care issues throughout the implementation of health reform in Connecticut. Their advocacy efforts will focus on ensuring that oral health and mental health are part of patient-centered medical home initiatives.

“UCAN is an established advocacy organization whose commitment to impacting public policy benefits the state’s most vulnerable populations,” says Patricia Baker, President & CEO of the foundation. “They have a strong, solid history of success in mobilizing community advocates to change health systems.”

“We at UCAN are pleased to receive the grant award from the Connecticut Health Foundation,” says Alta Lash, executive director of UCAN. “In the coming years, Connecticut will be making choices about the kind of health options that will be offered.  This grant will provide the resources needed for UCAN to organize consumers to ensure that their voices, especially those who face mental health challenges and low-income people are heard.”

A 2011 poll performed by the Kaiser Family Foundation also found that 52 percent of respondents do not have enough information about health reform to know it will have an impact on them, much less benefit them.

This project will operate under UCAN’s “Caring Families Coalition,” which was established to carry out community organizing work around health care.  Through this project, consumers will have access to clear information about health care issues and how policies will have an impact on individual communities.  UCAN expects to build a powerful health care consumer organization that can influence public policy related to health care.

OTHER GRANTS AWARDED

Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

• Aspen Institute (New York) was awarded a one-year $260,000 grant to supports its Health Equity Education and Leadership (HEAL) initiative to stimulate and support community-driven change efforts to decrease health disparities in access and treatment for African American males in Connecticut.