RWJF-Funded Program Foundation Gives $2M to 11 Organizations To Reduce Racial Health Disparities; RWJF Awards Grants To Hospitals To Improve Patient Communication
The Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change program -- funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and housed at the University of Chicago -- is awarding grants to 11 organizations that seek to eliminate racial and ethnic health care disparities in their communities, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports (Stanforth, Democrat and Chronicle, 12/14). RWJF received 178 project proposals from hospitals, community health centers and universities with medical/health care specialties on how to reduce racial disparities. Each of the 11 chosen organizations will receive up to $300,000 to evaluate their proposed interventions and programs. The grant recipients are Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority, Cooper Green Hospital, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Morehouse School of Medicine, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Olive View-UCLA Education Research Institute, The Regents of the University of California, University of Southern California, Westside Health Services and Yale University School of Medicine (Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change release, 12/13).
Grants for Interpreter Services
In related news, RWJF this week announced that it will award 10 U.S. hospitals a $60,000 grant each to adopt interpretation service programs and measures developed by the George Washington University Department of Health Policy to improve care provided to non-English-speaking patients, the Sacramento Business Journal reports. The 16-month program, called Speaking Together: National Language Services Network, will examine how hospitals communicate with non-English-speaking patients, help hospitals manage language programs and share best practices. The program awarded grants to Bellevue Hospital Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Hennepin County Medical Center, Regions Hospital, University of California-Davis Health System, UMass Memorial Health Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital, University of Michigan Health System and University of Rochester Medical Center (Sacramento Business Journal, 12/14).