Region VII Office of Minority Health funding announcement

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Region VII Office of Minority Health is offering funding in the amount of $500.00 to support community efforts to promote preconception, family planning and healthy baby outreach activities.

The U.S. currently ranks 29^th in the world in Infant Mortality behind the Czech Republic (8) and Cuba (27) and tied with Poland and Slovakia. Of those most at risk from preterm delivery are children born to teen mothers, those born to parents belonging to a racial/ethnic group, and those lacking health insurance or access to regular medical care. Preterm delivery poses many risks including increased incidence of respiratory complications, cerebral palsy, developmental delay and death.

For this reason the Region VII Office of Minority Health encourages Tribal, Community and Faith based organizations, Community Health Centers and programs working with youth to apply for one of the competitive contracts to support your efforts to decrease infant mortality within the states of Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.

Funding should be directed towards education surrounding family planning (planning your pregnancy), encouragement of any individual at risk for pregnancy (anyone sexually active) to be tested for STD's, and for women to begin a healthy living regime to include taking a daily multivitamin to ensure appropriate stores of folic acid (deficiencies of this vitamin will cause neural tube defects).  To ensure that children reach their first birthday and beyond educational training should include SIDS and its prevention, anger management (to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome) and information about depression should be made available to all new parents.

You will find attached a contract to apply for the competitive funds being offered by the Region VII Office of Minority Health. The application deadline is 13 July 2009. For questions about the program or the competitive contracts please contact Lieutenant Commander Tracy Branch, tracy.branch@hhs.gov

Link to the OMH website to request Healthy Baby materials and information and to register your activity. http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=117

LCDR Branch

 

Tracy Branch, MPAS, PA-C

Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service

Region VII Minority Health Consultant

U.S. Department of Health & Human Service

Office of Minority Health

Richard Bolling Federal Building

601 East 12th Street,Room S1801

Kansas City, MO 64106

Phone 816-426-3295

Fax 816-426-2178

Tracy.Branch@HHS.GOV

Website: http://www.omhrc.gov/ 

Listserve: https://list.nih.gov/archives/omh-region-vii.html