RICHARDSON, Texas – In a continuing commitment to help fight and raise awareness around preventing and managing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) announced today the awarding of Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® (HKHF) grants to community-based organizations statewide.
More than $1.8 million in grants were awarded following an extensive evaluation process. The funding will anchor the second year of BCBSTX's $10 million community investment focus to battle CKD and COPD — two conditions greatly impacting the life span, productivity and quality of life of Texans.
"We launched this strategy understanding that this was an opportunity to impact two chronic diseases that are impacting the lives of Texans," said Dr. Dan McCoy, president, BCBSTX. “That’s why it was important for us to collaborate with organizations that are making a difference in changing people lives through various outreach and education programs."
Annually, the HKHF program receives numerous applications from organizations across the state. Each application was vetted on the basis of impact, feasibility, capacity, collaboration and sustainability. Grant recipients share BCBSTX's goal to raise awareness around the prevention and early detection of CKD and COPD.
This year's Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grantees include:
- American Lung Association: Leading the fight for healthy lungs and air as well as on eliminating tobacco use and related lung disease.
- National Kidney Foundation: Dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease.
- It's Time Texas: Focused on dramatically improving the landscape of health and wellness in Texas.
- Texas Medical Association: Serves Texas citizens in matters of medical care, prevention and cure of disease, and the improvement of public health.
- Texas Kidney Foundation: Fighting kidney disease through awareness, education, and prevention resources.
- Shannon Medical Center: Through its Shannon Medical Center-San Angelo Diabetes Coalition - a program that includes kidney screenings and education on managing CKD.
- Bexar County Community Health Collaborative: Uses a synergistic approach to solving critical community health needs in the Bexar County region.
- MHP Salud: A national nonprofit organization that implements and runs Community Health Worker programs that provide peer health education, increase access to health resources and bring community members closer.
- The Victoria Alliance Against Chronic Kidney Disease: A Victoria County Public Health Department program that will targets kidney disease in at risk populations.
- El Paso Children’s Hospital: To the children's hospital mission in providing pediatric diabetes research and education.
- Texas CASA: To support statewide child advocacy programs that provides a safe and positive future for all Texas children.
- The Caring Foundation of Texas: A mobile immunizations program that provides access to immunizations, oral care and health education for uninsured and medically underserved children throughout Texas.
Launched in 2011, HKHF started as a three-year project designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments. The program was extended as BCBSTX’s ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of the children and families across Texas.
The HKHF program – which centers on nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management and supporting safe environments — has impacted the lives of millions of Texas children. To date, BCBSTX has awarded more than $10 million in HKHF grants.
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About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and health care practitioners, and 500 hospitals to serve 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth-largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.