HCF Announces Dates for 2008 Funding Cycle

Please save the following dates for the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City’s 2008 Foundation Defined Grant rounds. Letters of Intent and Proposals must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. or postmarked on or before the deadline date.

Reminder, there will not be a Healthy Lifestyles Funding Cycle in 2008.

Learn more about Foundation Defined Grants and how to apply.

Free HPV Vaccine Available in Kansas City and Surrounding Area

A vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in females ages 9-26 is now available free of charge at 32 sites throughout Kansas City and surrounding counties in Missouri and Kansas.

In May, HCF announced its largest single grant - $2 million to provide the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for approximately 5,000 qualified females. Coupled with an $11 million grant earlier this year by MFH and a $500,000 grant from REACH, these grants represents the largest non-governmental funding of the vaccine’s distribution and the most comprehensive effort in the country to offer the vaccine at no cost. 

Find specific locations in Missouri and Kansas where the vaccine is available through HCF funding.

GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: Cancer Action

Whether you or someone you care about is facing cancer, the journey from diagnosis through treatment can be filled with many questions. Cancer Action is a local agency that offers guidance, support and understanding to help those in our community throughout their journey with cancer.

“For 48 years, Cancer Action has been the heart of cancer support in Kansas City,” said Karla Nichols, Executive Director of Cancer Action.” We have compassionately provided vital, life-saving services to thousands of people who have been diagnosed with cancer.”

For the past two years, Cancer Action has been a recipient of HCF’s Safety Net grants. Read more about Cancer Action.

Insure Missouri Expands Access to Health Care Coverage

Last month, Gov. Matt Blunt announced the launch of Insure Missouri, a health care plan that will help Missouri's lower income, uninsured workers buy health insurance.

Insure Missouri will provide new access to affordable health insurance for nearly 200,000 Missourians, reducing the number of uninsured by 30 percent. Enrollment will begin in February 2008. It is anticipated that over 130,000 will be enrolled by July 2008.

Insure Missouri will help eligible Missourians who make up to 185 percent of poverty or $38,203 for a family of four purchase their own insurance.  It will be introduced in three phases over 15 months and will give Missourians a choice among competing plans.

• Phase 1 - Working parents and caregivers with children in the home with incomes up to 100 percent of poverty or $20,650 for a family of four (begins in February 2008)
• Phase 2 - Working parents and other working adults who are not Medicare eligible with income levels set by the General Assembly. Cost sharing by the assisted Missourians not to exceed 5 percent of income. (begins Summer 2008)
• Phase 3 - Making health care more affordable for small business owners and their employees. Eligibility will be set by the General Assembly and will include a plan to create a "reinsurance" program, which is a way to reduce catastrophic risk to insure employees and make premiums more affordable.

Under Insure Missouri, participants will make a contribution that is affordable based on their income.  More information may be accessed online at www.insuremissouri.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

HCF Mental Health Pre-Proposal Conferences
HCF will hold two Pre-Proposal Conferences for potential applicants to ask questions and discuss changes in the grant application process for the Mental Health Grant Cycle.

Conferences will be held December 18th from 10—12 at West Wyandotte County Library, 1737 N. 82nd Street, Kansas City, KS and December 19th from 10—12 at the Pioneer Community College Auditorium, 2700 E. 18th Street, Kansas City, MO.

To RSVP, contact Mona Miranda at or 816-241-7006.

When the War Comes Home: A Clinical Conference on War Zone Trauma
In the next several years, hundreds of veterans and civilians will return to the Kansas City area from Iraq and Afghanistan. Estimates show that as many as 30% of these men and women will experience a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Mental health and substance abuse practitioners are invited to a FREE conference on Tuesday, December 11 from 8 a.m. — 3:30 at the Liberty Memorial. The conference will address clinical issues related to war zone trauma and will feature local and regional experts on Battlemind, sexual trauma, PTSD and treating families.

Register for the Clinical Conference on War Zone Trauma.

PROJECT READY SMILE

Project Ready Smile is a three-year initiative between the REACH Healthcare Foundation and HCF to improve the oral health of children ages birth to six.

Project Ready Smile will work with early childhood programs that serve uninsured and underserved children to screen for oral health problems, apply fluoride varnish and connect children with dentists for follow-up treatment and care. The project will target children in the foundations’ service area, which includes Kansas City, and Cass, Jackson and Lafayette counties in Missouri, and Allen, Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.

Project Ready Smile is currently enrolling early childhood programs and recruiting a network of dentists willing to provide dental services to low-income children. Dental Hygientists will begin screenings in November. For more information, contact Project Director Dawn Downes at (913) 432-4196 or email .

Information for dental professionals.

Information for early childhood programs.