Concord, NH - The Endowment for Health, New Hampshire’s largest health foundation, recently awarded nearly $2.9 million in grants. Awards were made to 30 organizations for the resources necessary to forward health-related policies and projects in New Hampshire. Many of these projects have statewide reach while others address need in targeted geographic areas of the state.

Mary Vallier-Kaplan, the Endowment’s vice president and chief operating officer, explained the importance of the grants. “These grant awards represent innovative thinking and best practices with the potential to improve health systems and services throughout the state. We are pleased and honored to work with so many respected organizations that do such important work to improve the health of New Hampshire’s people”

The following grants were awarded to reduce economic barriers to health:

• SUSTAINING NH'S HEALTH SYSTEM – IV, Supporting the NH Citizens Health Initiative in its efforts to improve the systems that finance and provide health care in New Hampshire ($75,000). Grantee: NH Institute on Health Policy and Practice.
• MANCHESTER SUSTAINABLE ACCESS PROJECT (MSAP) – An integrated community health care network for the City of Manchester ($239,947). Grantee: MSAP Project c/o Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester.
• SECURING THE FUTURE OF THE PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL HOME – Improving primary care access and building practice capacity for coordinated care ($189,532). Grantee: Crotched Mountain Foundation.
• Project: NEW ENGLAND ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH – Protecting and expanding access to children's health care in New Hampshire and across New England ($50,000). Grantee: Community Catalyst.
• IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR WOMEN AGED 55 TO 64 – Examining care provision and financial barriers to health for pre-retirement-age women ($19,500). Grantee: NH Women’s Policy Institute.
• HEALTHCARE TRANSPARENCY TO SUPPORT SYSTEM CHANGE – Examining healthcare costs and utilization from adverse drug events ($23,560). Grantee: University of New Hampshire.
• COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE – Examining access to and affordability of nutritious food in New Hampshire's communities ($36,095). Grantee: Carsey Institute, UNH.
  

The following grants were made to reduce geographic barriers to health:

• TRANSPORTATION BROKERAGE FOR STRAFFORD AND EASTERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES – Coordinating transportation resources to improve access ($175,936). Grantee: Strafford Network.
• SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY MOBILITY PROJECT – A comprehensive plan to improve regional transportation services for the people of Sullivan County ($48,640). Grantee: Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission.
• CONTOOCOOK VALLEY TRANSPORTATION COOPERATIVE – Developing transportation options in the region ($65,631). Grantee: Under One Roof c/o Monadnock Community Hospital.
• CARROLL COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PROJECT – To develop a community transportation system in the County ($71,550). Grantee: Tri County Community Action Program.
• BRIDGING THE GAP TO AFFORDABLE CAR OWNERSHIP – Increasing access to automobiles and financial counseling in order to increase economic opportunities and access to health for lowincome families ($75,000). Grantee: Bonnie CLAC.
  
• RURAL INTEGRATIVE CARE – Promoting integration of behavioral health services and primary care in rural New Hampshire through evaluation and public policy ($112,054). Grantee: Antioch University New England.
  

The following grants were made to reduce social cultural barriers to health:

• CULTURAL EFFECTIVENESS AND QUALITY HEALTH CARE, Improving access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care ($245,904). Grantee: Foundation for Healthy Communities.
• THE GATEWAY CITY HEALTH & WELLNESS IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION INITIATIVE – Promoting collaboration between Nashua’s municipal, social and health care agencies to better serve newly arriving immigrants and refugees ($134,000). Grantee: City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services.
• SOUTHERN NH FORENSIC NURSE EXAMINER CONSORTIUM – Improving access to medical/forensic health care services for sexually assaulted/abused individuals in Southern NH ($25,920). Grantee: Elliot Hospital.
• COALITION OF AFRICAN ORGANIZATIONS – Delivering more effective services to African immigrants and refugees in New Hampshire through strategic collaboration ($28,665). Grantee: Somali Development Center.
  

The following grants were made to improve the mental health of New Hampshire’s Children and Their Families:

• FRAMEWORKS YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROJECT – TO evaluate the impact of community-based efforts to prevent youth suicide and to promote early access to mental health treatment ($163,817). Grantee: National Alliance on Mental Illness – New Hampshire.
• HEALTHY BABIES/HEALTHY CHILDREN – Integration of mental health, developmental and primary care systems for Upper Valley children (birth to age 6) and their families ($112,665). Grantee: Pathways of the River Valley.
  
• CHILD AND FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH CARE AT THE FAMILY WILLOWS – Providing evidence based assessments and interventions to homeless children and their families to improve health outcomes ($256,256). Grantee: Families in Transition.
• BUILDING CAPACITY TO PROVIDE RENEW – A community-provider collaboration to assist youth with emotional and behavioral disorders as they transition from adolescence to adulthood ($216,422). Grantee: Institute on Disability/UNH.
• WRAPAROUND INFRASTRUCTURE – Improving outcomes for children and families with complex mental health needs through a collaborative, team-based approach to service and support planning ($182,864). Grantee: Strafford Learning Center.
• PLANNING FOR INFANT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN STRAFFORD COUNTY – Developing the capacity to screen, assess and treat young children (birth to age 6) and their families in need of evidence-based behavioral health services ($9,057). Grantee: Developmental Services of Strafford County.
• MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS WEEK – Addressing issues of stigma and discrimination affecting access to mental health care for youth involved with the juvenile justice system ($4,000). Grantee: National Alliance on Mental Illness – NH.
  
• SCHOOLS AND MENTAL HEALTH: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH – A collaboration among schools, service providers and state agencies to strengthen school-based mental health care in the Monadnock region ($55,000). Grantee: Monadnock Family Services.
• NASHUA SCHOOL/MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE – Planning for expanded school-based mental health services ($19,557). Grantee: Community Council of Nashua.
• PLANNING A CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS – Developing the capacity to provide high quality, integrated treatment for youth with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders ($16,806). Grantee: Odyssey House.
  

NON-THEME GRANTS 

• PUBLIC HEALTH REGIONALIZATION IN NH – Creating a public health system to deliver essential services throughout New Hampshire ($49,313). Grantee: Community Health Institute.
• ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR NH'S COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS – Assessing clinical, financial, data analysis, and reporting needs ($50,000). Grantee: NH Community Behavioral Health.
• NH NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP SUMMIT – Convening leaders to share ideas that build and sustain the future leadership of NH's nonprofit community ($5,000). Grantee: NH Center for Nonprofits.
• BUILDING A STATE OF THE ART WEB PLATFORM AND SECURING PUBLIC RADIO FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE – Ensuring the vitality of New Hampshire Public Radio in the new media marketplace to strengthen, educate and empower New Hampshire's communities ($23,000). Grantee: New Hampshire Public Radio.
• FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS – Improving the financial sustainability of New Hampshire's Community Health Center's and Critical Access Hospitals ($27,500). Grantee: Health Strategies of NH.
• SYSTEMS DYNAMICS TRAINING AS A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS COMPLEX HEALTH SYSTEM CHALLENGES - PHASE 1 – Systems Dynamics Modeling training to effectively address health system challenges ($19,000). Grantee: Health Strategies of NH.
  
• INCREASING PUBLIC HEALTH DATA ANALYSIS CAPACITY – Understanding health statistics and risk predictions in small populations using Bayesian Spatial Modeling ($21,156). Community Health Institute/JSI Research and Training.

The Endowment for Health was established in 1999. Since 2001, the Endowment has awarded
nearly 600 grants totaling $26 million to support a wide range of health-related programs and
projects in New Hampshire. For more information about proposal guidelines and funding
priorities for the 2008 program year, visit www.endowmentforhealth.org