The Community Benefit Committee of the Augusta Health Board of Directors has awarded nine single year grants to community organizations to meet the healthcare needs of the community.
“Our Community Health Needs Assessment identified several health needs within our community,” said Laurie Landes, Senior Vice President of Frontier Community Bank and chair of the Grant Subcommittee of the Community Benefit Committee. “Some of these needs can be addressed directly by Augusta Health, but many of them require coordination with and support of other agencies and service providers in the community. The committee carefully reviewed all the grant requests this year, and awarded the available funds to programs that produce measurable outcomes to meet those needs identified in the assessment.”
The grants awarded were awarded to:
- Augusta Regional Free Clinic: $20,000
- Related Community Health Need: Chronic Disease Management–Diabetes
- To implement of a Chronic Care Model for the treatment of diabetic patients
- Boys and Girls Club: $16,450
- Related Community Health Need: Socioeconomic Needs—Educational Achievement
- To establish a retired teacher think tank, in partnership with local school systems, that will develop technology to track attendance, discipline and grades of Boys & Girls Club members
- Crossroad to Brain Injury Recovery: $6,000
- Related Community Health Need: Integration of mental health and primary care
- To coordinate case management of primary care needs and mental health needs of the brain-injured population
- Highland Medical Center: $5,000
- Related Community Health Need: Chronic Disease Management—Obesity
- To develop of Youth Wellness Council that will conduct a needs assessment and develop a pilot program targeting youth obesity
- Project GROWS: $15,000
- Related Community Health Need: Chronic Disease Management—Obesity
- To design and implement a circular fitness and learning trail that incorporates fitness equipment and an edible garden
- Rockbridge Area Transportation System: $8661.60
- Related Community Health Need: Access and Affordability—Primary Care
- To provide transportation to patients from the Rockbridge area to Augusta Health
- Valley Hope Counseling Center: $12,000
- Related Community Health Need: Substance Abuse
- To subsidize low-fee substance abuse counseling for low income individuals who otherwise cannot afford to access treatment
- Valley Mission: $15,000
- Related Community Health Need: Integration of mental health and primary care
- To support a licensed social worker to provide mental health counseling to the mission population, and to provide mental health medications prescribed by a licensed physician to the mission population
- Valley Program for Aging: $10,000
- Related Community Health Need: Chronic Disease Management—Diabetes
- To expand the Chronic Disease Management Program to the diabetic population
The Community Benefit Committee is a committee of the Augusta Health Board of Directors. Augusta Health is an independent, nonprofit community hospital whose mission is to promote the health and well-being of our community through access to excellent care. Named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in America by Thomson Reuters in both 2011 and 2012, Augusta Health has also been nationally recognized by HealthGrades for clinical excellence and patient safety and has been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospital by HealthGrades. For more information about Augusta Health, its programs or its services, please contact public relations at 540.245.7329 or 540.221.7329, or visit our website, www.augustahealth.com.