News Releases - 2011

Jan. 18, 2011

Fourteen Community Health Clinics Share $64,230 in Grants from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation

Fourteen community health clinics providing care for underserved Kansans shared $64,230 in end-of-the-year grants from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation, according to Marlou Wegener, chief operating officer of the Foundation.

The grants were provided to the clinics to help each serve a specific target population of their uninsured and underinsured clients, Wegener said.

“In addition to meeting the day-to-day needs of all their clients, community health clinics have the ability to establish programs for targeted groups within their client base, such as those in need of dental care, pregnant women requiring pre-natal care or Kansans seeking education regarding their chronic conditions,” Wegener said. “The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation recognizes the outstanding work of these clinics and worked with them to identify funding to help each meet one of their specific community needs.”

The clinics that received grants, the amount of the grant and how it will be used are:

• Atchison Community Health Clinic, Atchison -- $5,000 to purchase start-up supplies for a safety net dental clinic.
• Caritas Clinics, Inc./St. Vincent Clinic, Leavenworth -- $4,210 to purchase spirometry kit and inhalers for clients with asthma.
• Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg -- $4,720 to purchase equipment for diabetes and lead screenings.
• Douglas County Dental Clinic, Lawrence -- $5,000 to expand the Friendly Smiles children's dental health program, which provides sealants and fluoride varnish, to five additional counties.

• GraceMed Health Clinic, Wichita -- $5,000 to purchase supplies and curriculum for a new pre-natal program.
• Greeley County Health Services, Sharon Springs -- $4,300 to purchase equipment for a fitness program designed for senior clients.
• Guadalupe Clinic, Wichita -- $5,000 to purchase software that will monitor the clinic's chronic disease and education program, providing education to clients on healthy eating, weight reduction and smoking cessation.
• Health Care Access, Lawrence -- $5,000 to purchase electronic medical records software, allowing better connection with local hospital and providers in order to improve quality of care and decrease duplication of services.
• Health Ministries Clinic, Newton -- $5,000 for health education curriculum in English and Spanish.
• Heart of Kansas Family Health Care, Great Bend -- $5,000 to purchase two portable Vital Signs Lxi Monitors for use with patients.
• Marian Clinic, Topeka -- $5,000 to purchase basic medical equipment, such as urine analyzers and a hemoglobin A1C machine, to assist patients with diabetes and for use in the weight-loss curriculum.
• Mother Mary Anne Clinic, Wichita -- $5,000 to purchase in-house prescription medications.
• E.C. Tyree Health & Dental Clinic, Wichita -- $5,000 to purchase dental screening equipment and supplies for use in four Wichita elementary schools.
• United Methodist Mexican-American Ministries, Garden City -- $1,000 to purchase diabetic supplies for clients in a five-county area.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation was incorporated in July 2005 by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas to further strengthen its role in promoting the good health of Kansans. The foundation focuses its giving on key health issues that can impact the lives of many Kansans, funding programs which are, at their core, health-related. The foundation seeks out programs that promote health improvement, health care access, health education, healthy behaviors and prevention initiatives.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The BCBSKS Foundation and BCBSKS serve all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte.

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