FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2008
Coalition of Community Health Clinics receives $10,000 transformation grant from newly launched Regence Foundation
Coalition streamlines care for uninsured patients at 13 member clinics
Portland, Ore. — For its innovative work facilitating cooperation among 13 member clinics providing care to uninsured residents in the Portland metropolitan area, the newly launched Regence Foundation awarded $10,000 to the Coalition of Community Health Clinics in Portland.
The Regence Foundation, the corporate foundation of The Regence Group, was formed to recognize and promote practices that will transform the health care system. Its inaugural grantees in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah were all nominated by Regence employees.
With more than 600,000 uninsured Oregonians, we feel a special responsibility to partner with organizations, like the Coalition of Community Health Clinics, that work to improve health care access for the uninsured,” said Mike Alexander, chair of The Regence Foundation’s board of directors. “Our Foundation is committed to using the power of philanthropy to build healthier communities and drive significant change in the health care system.”
The Coalition of Community Health Clinics works to improve health care for the uninsured by providing a venue for member clinics to share organizational and clinical best practice techniques with one another. It’s also a place where the clinics can gather support and work together to efficiently use limited resources and coordinate patient services.
“Last year, the Coalition’s member clinics provided nearly 202,000 visits to about 38,000 people,” said Tracy Gratto, Coalition of Community Health Clinics’ executive director. “It’s our goal to make sure the health safety net system in Multnomah County is as secure as possible for those patients, and that’s why this grant from The Regence Foundation is especially valuable.”
The Coalition was selected for a grant after being nominated by Regence employee Ian Moxley in Portland, as part of the first annual employee-driven transformation grant awards. Grants were also awarded to the Fourth Street Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah; Snake River Community Clinic in Lewiston, Idaho; Whatcom Alliance for Health Care Access in Bellingham, Washington; and Inland Northwest Health Services in Spokane, Washington.
In addition to funding organizations working to improve access to quality health care, the Foundation will soon be accepting applications for organizations that transform health care through consumer engagement and technological innovation. Later this year it will also accept applications from organizations working to improve end-of-life issues. For more information, please visit www.regencefoundation.org
About Coalition of Community Health Clinics
The Coalition of Community Health Clinics is a network of 13 private, nonprofit health clinics located throughout Multnomah County. These clinics provide health services to the uninsured and under-served men, women and children in the Portland Metropolitan area. In fiscal year 2006-2007, Coalition clinics provided more than 201,000 patient visits to people who had no other access to medical care.
About The Regence Foundation
The Regence Foundation is the corporate foundation of The Regence Group, the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain region and a not-for-profit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. A 501©3 grantmaking organization, the Foundation partners with organizations driving significant change in health care delivery and accessibility in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Starting in late 2008, the Foundation will also partner with organizations addressing end-of-life issues.
Contact:
Tracy Gratto, Coalition of Community Health Clinics
(503) 546-4991 (office)
(503) 367-8666 (cell)
tracygratto@coalitionclinics.org
Samantha Meese, Regence
(503) 225-5332 (office)
(503) 853-3730 (cell)
sxmeese@regence.com