Rhonda M. Medows, MD, Commissioner	Sonny Perdue, Governor

Georgia Launches $1 Million Grant Program to Resolve Health

ATLANTA – As part of Georgia’s effort to reduce and eliminate health disparities, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) unveiled the Georgia Health Equity Grant Program today. The grant program will provide 15 grants ranging from $75,000 to $100,000 to community based organizations working to improve minority health.

“We can not hope to significantly improve the health status of our state as a whole if more than a third of our population continues to suffer disparities in health,” said Dr. Rhonda Medows, Commissioner, DCH. “Georgia is committed to creating an environment of change that leads to health equity across our state.”

The statewide grant program aims to:

• Reduce and eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities;
• Promote health and quality of life of individuals and communities;
• Build on community strengths and assets to address health issues;
• Develop effective working relationships among community members and the organizations and leaders who serve them; and
• Focus on prevention and early detection.

Grants will be awarded to organizations focusing on areas of the state with high incidences of health disparities.

“This grant program will ensure that the resources and support are available to minority populations that would otherwise not be able to secure these life changing services,” said Peoples, Executive Director DCH’s Office of Health Improvement, which will administer the grant program. “Community based organizations are essential to the state’s efforts of improving the health of all Georgians. This program represents an exciting step towards addressing some of the core problems that have attributed to health disparities.”

The Georgia Health Equity Grant Program is a part of DCH’s Georgia Health Equity Initiative is a comprehensive long-term effort aimed at reducing racial/ethnic inequalities in health care across the state.

DCH will accept applications until July 10, 2008. For more information about the grant program, visit http://dch.georgia.gov/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/56/59/114329834Georgia_Health_Equity_Grant.doc