A grant opportunity focusing on school-based health care in Appalachian Ohio remains available from the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund and supported through UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Community Plan of Ohio. The deadline to apply is Dec. 10.
Children in Appalachia face significant medical, behavioral and oral health disparities compounded by health care access issues, according to data released by UHC. Health care and the ecosystem of support in community-based settings, including schools and after-school programs, present significant opportunities to address these barriers.
“Local impact and support are critical components of promoting health equity and access,” said Kelly Reidenbach, vice president of strategy at UHC Community Plan of Ohio. ”We appreciate the opportunity to leverage our resources and population health insights to support solutions which promote the health and wellness of children and families in Appalachian Ohio.”
FAO’s I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund seeks to address these disparities through its Health & Human Services Pillar of Prosperity, one of five areas essential to generating and sustaining transformative change in Appalachian Ohio.
The grant opportunity follows a collaboration between FAO and UHC Community Plan of Ohio through which the two organizations hosted the Appalachian School-Based Virtual Panel Discussion. The online event utilized UHC data analytics and population health data to promote a broader discussion on children’s health topics. Experts discussed current and future efforts to address population health needs with an emphasis on children’s health needs.
Up to $50,000 is available to support collaboration and capacity-building activities related to school-based and community-based health care in Appalachian Ohio. Requests can apply for be between $5,000 and $15,000, though requests of up to $20,000 are being considered.
Nonprofit organizations applying for the Appalachian Ohio School-Based Healthcare Grant should submit projects that discuss and analyze the data presented during the panel discussion and identify potential next steps to address that data empowering local communities. The collaboration will formulate the development of small-scale interventions focused on addressing health disparities.
To access the data presented in the Appalachian Ohio School-Based Healthcare Virtual Panel Discussion and to apply for the associated grant, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org/schoolbasedhealthcare.
To learn more about the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and opportunities to give, grow and create with FAO, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org or contact [email protected] or 740-753-1111.
Submitted by Rochelle Hawk, communications and programs assistant, Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.
