GHA Approves Newest Healthy Greenville Grant Recipients
Staff Report From Greenville CEO
Thursday, May 10th, 2018
The Greenville Health Authority Board of Trustees approved $5.3 million for this year’s new Healthy Greenville grant projects, which targeted everything from diabetes prevention to substance-use disorder in pregnant women and using mindfulness therapy as a way to combat depression relapse and opioid misuse in targeted groups.
The Greenville Health Authority board approved the grants at its May 9 meeting.
Including the already approved grants from fiscal year 2017, this brings the overall total grants invested by Greenville Healthy Authority in still-fledgling Healthy Greenville funding to approximately $17.8 million.
The six new grants range from three- to five-year pay-outs. The continued grants from the 2017 cycle targeted chronic issues like diabetes, mental illness and obesity but also addressed immediate needs like standardizing high-quality training for fire-fighter first responders across Greenville County and even adding life-saving defibrillators to hundreds of deputy patrol cars.
“These programs will make Greenville County a healthier community and significantly improve the quality of life for families county-wide,” said Mike Ellison, chair of the GHA grant committee, which reviewed more than 49 proposed grants for this year’s cycle.
The innovative initiative will fund approximately $3.5 million in grants each year for the next 20 years for targeted projects into health-related care, research and education that improve the health of Greenville County residents. Grant money – for both the new projects and continuing projects from last year – will be distributed between June 1-15.
New projects for 2018 include the following:
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$594,000 over the next three years to a coalition led by Greenville Free Medical Clinic to increase access to care for low-income uninsured patients utilizing student-provided services. Clemson University School of Nursing is a partner.
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$558,972 over the next five years to a coalition led by Clemson University to provide mindfulness training to help prevent depression relapse, enhance recovery from alcohol and opioid misuse and increase physical activity for key populations. By using a train-the-trainer approach, the initiative would provide therapies at the Greenville Mental Health Center and the Caine Halter Family YMCA. Clemson University’s public health sciences department is leading the initiative, along with partners GHS, Phoenix Center, YMCA Greenville and Greenville Mental Health Center.
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$1.15 million over the next five years to provide integrated prenatal care and substance use disorder treatment for women. The partnership is led by the Phoenix Center, and the clinic will be run from the GHS Ob/Gyn Center. With the additional funding, the center will be able to expand from 30-35 women annually year to as many as 240 women. Coalition members include GHS’ Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program and the Furman University Institute for the Advancement of Community Health.
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$769,336 over three years to improve the physical and mental health of young children in foster care. The coalition is led by Pendleton Place, and partners include Greenville County Department of Social Services, Greenville County Mental Health, GHS and its Bradshaw Institute of Child Health & Advocacy.
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$1.68 million over five years to assist a coalition led by Communities in Schools Greenville in delivering school-based programming to students with a high number of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Studies show these therapies mitigate the negative health impacts of trauma by building self-regulation, mindfulness, relationships and resilience. Additional partners include Alexander Elementary School, Berea Elementary, Carolina High School, Grove Elementary and Welcome Elementary.
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$592,486 over three years to a coalition led by Furman University that tackles health-harming legal barriers in the senior adult population. The coalition, led by Furman’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Health, includes Greenville Health System and S.C. Legal Services.
The expanded mission of Healthy Greenville, which includes offering micro-grants to targeted areas, will be reflected in next year’s cycle.